Those dishes stacked in the sink---
plate upon plate, utensils muddied
with the crust of week old sauce and bits of meat.
Our wedding china, the fringe of flowers
ever-bloomed, always as they were made.
Each delicate heart covered
with the hard grime of neglect.
Husband, it's your turn
Imagine every petunia wrenching out
their roots, shaking tiny clomps of dirt
from their spindly legs. Each new step
scrambling them across the lawn
and over the far gate. See how they run,
each Petunia on the path,
silhouetted dancing against the rising sun.
Each dance like a glimmer,
like the scattered shards of a broken china plate.
Husband, the garden is now yours. Do what you want.
Wash the dishes. Or, don't.
Author notes
Picture Prompt Contest :-)
A contest entry
- image inspired - 4 hours by Cat.
500 points, ended January 18, 2008, 6 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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I hate doing dishes. yuck. But you did a great job with this poem!
Mylee -
Imagine every petunia wrenching out
their roots, shaking tiny clomps of dirt
from their spindly legs. Each new step
scrambling them across the lawn
and over the far gate. See how they run,
each Petunia on the path,
silhouetted dancing against the rising sun.
oooooooo this part is so good i love it its great you deff desirve the gold in the contest. its so good jeeze iv said that alot but its true
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Great closing line on this one. There's nothing like home eh? This reminds me so much of my youth wathing my parents. Great job
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You have been in my kitchen!! An amalgam of fun and imagery - really like this. Now, come do my dishes.
Congrats on a well-deserved gold.
Wolfie
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...well, I never!
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Bravo
Congrats on the shiny too
this could have been my house
once upon a time i cleared a whole draining board in one swoop of my arm
i am much calmer know
and we have a dishwasher!
excellent imagery and story telling
elaine
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this is so good- for an off the cuff poem i am really impressed with your imagery and your metaphor- nicely done.. great to find this in the contest
m -
lol Nice- definitely not what I was expecting to see as a picture prompt, but it works!
A good'er
Burmina -
i love the end. oh man. i love the whole thing, the imagery, the petunias shaking dirt from their feet and dancing away. yep. brilliant
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