garage or jumble sale, call it
scrounging,
repurposing,
recycling, found treasures
that purple hand-knitted sweater,
that woven doll from Guatemala,
unfinished quilt blocks cut from calico,
the clever glass cutting board
emblazoned with Van Gogh's iris:
detritus from someone who has moved on,
leaving all behind,
flickers of what once was
a life carefully constructed,
now echoes I choose to take home
to cherish
for we are shadows all.
Today's OctPoWriMo asks us to explore the dark side, the shadows of our own self. I went to sleep thinking just of the prompt, shadow, and awoke with a sense of what has gone before -- and what will be. More the impermanence of each of our lives and how we cling to small, tangible things and take joy from them. If we are lucky, we have family and friends to love. Today, I want to affirm what is good. Maybe a darker poem will come along later.
Read more about what others have written for OctPoWriMo here.
 |
| Dresden Plates, unfinished, 1930s fabric (Camp 2012) |
I love a good garage sale or thrift store! If I can donate 10 things and come home with only one or two "new" prizes, I'm feeling good. I recognize that glass cutting board, Beth.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a dandy poem.
xoA
And you've given me my idea of where I can go with this prompt. Thank you again.
DeletexoA
Thank you, Annis. I do love garage sales as well. Can't wait to see what you've written. :)
DeleteThe last line is a great "Oh" punch in the gut ending. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tressa. Sometimes real family treasures are lost in garage sales and thrift stores, but I do treasure my 'finds'.
DeleteThis is another triumph Beth! X
ReplyDeleteGreat take on this pormpt.
ReplyDeleteI loved your take on the prompt. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shah, Rhi, and Ankit. I do appreciate your stopping by and look forward to reading your poems. Write on!
ReplyDelete"echoes I choose to take home." Loved that line. I really liked the tone of this piece, the beauty of the junk sale. I've been thinking I wanted to check out a garage sale or two...this has only increased the urge. :-)
ReplyDelete