Here is another poem in my series “Unpublished”. These are poems that have never been published and I will probably never publish. They don’t appear to have what it takes for one reason or another. However, they are special to me. Perhaps marking a unique event or moment of realization.
The poem “Body of Wood” is from 2019. It is part of my ongoing meditation regarding the thought or idea that women are held captive by housework. We allow society to calculate our value as a wife and/or mother on the cleanliness of our homes. There is a balance required of course. A clean home is obviously beneficial towards good health in regards to germs, mold, dust, etc. It has also been known to fight against derepression. A person could even go so far as to say that a minimalistic home helps the environment. Humans often collect “clutter” and items never used in our nests. Items that end up in landfills. The less amount of stuff and the type of material your stuff is made from may help reduce your carbon footprint.
Body of Wood
Paisley and stars on a string
light up a living room
what waits for us at the end
we light up our dark homes
when the day is over
what walks when we sleep
eight legs turn the wheels that
make up the tomorrow
The skin of a snake
hidden in a lady’s black flat
spittle of toothpaste
bits of Thursday spray off
dots the mirror above the sink
It is the standard of hygiene
easy to stay on top of and
the ball of hair and dust stuck
in the corner under the desk
give a warning in the
voice of my mother
Here is my mood expressed in a meme. Hope you are having a good weekend.
Calculate your carbon footprint here:
https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/
shannon p. laws 