“I wish I was better looking”<\/p>\n
The words crackled in the air
\nlike bread stuck in the toaster:
\n“Deal with me instantly
\nor I’ll stink up the kitchen!”<\/p>\n
What is it about
\ntoasters \u2014 they never work:
\nif they don’t burn the bread
\nand set off the smoke alarm
\nthey stick so tight you fish
\nwith a fork at risk of execution.<\/p>\n
Answering loaded questions
\ncan lead to electrocution too.
\nBut put aside that risk
\nfor a moment and consider
\nwhere the question is coming from:
\nsome flicker emanating from a mirror
\nor a comment stinging around
\nthe tear ducts like a canker
\nbeside the tongue that spoke<\/p>\n
See a young boy scuff-kneed
\nwearing his bandaids with just such
\nan insouciance, passing her
\nhis yo-yo walking the dog perfectly
\nwithout noticing her on the swing
\nleaving her in mid air frozen
\nat the top of the arc legs flung out
\nhead back in preview of
\nlater encounters with other boys
\nbut frozen here indelibly
\nhe did not notice her<\/p>\n
She keeps that inside
\nher heart frozen on the arc of the swing
\nto be revisited in the shrine of dreams
\na successful family grandchildren
\ninto the years of perfect contentment
\nher own loveliness nothing
\nshe is on the swing again
\nleaning back smiling
\nsqueezing out brine
\nthat runs down her cheeks
\nwaiting for the boy to turn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“I wish I was better looking” The words crackled in the air like bread stuck in the toaster: “Deal with me instantly or I’ll stink up the kitchen!” What is it about toasters \u2014 they never work: if they don’t … Continue reading