Feb 06 2010
Where the broom doesn’t reach
Hints of stories lie in the places where the broom doesn’t reach. Shards of dishes that slipped from hands, chunks of glasses dropped in shock, thrown in anger. They lie there as secrets, stories of the deeply shamed. Can anything ever clear them away? Do I want to clear them away?
If we walk there they pierce our feet, our bareness, and bury themselves in our flesh. Safe and uncaring in their proper place, they pain immense when we press on them. So we avoid them at all costs, treading lightly or not at all…and they fester.
They fester like the secrets that hide in those corners, away from eyes, questions, brooms.
My shards will out, one way or another, in song, poem, love, loss, illness…
And when they do, they will hurt again and again and again until finally, they fade like a vampire in the light of day and no longer are the primary colors of my being.
So I move the furniture and cupboards while listening to a Cheryl Wheeler tune (she has a way!) and gather the shards of memory, sweep them into the dustpan and throw them into the bin. Out is out.
My sweet kitten jumps onto my lap.
Thank you Jennifer, I hope you’ll find it helpful and inspirational, and that you’ll pass the link to others.
What a beautiful poem. This is my first visit to your blog, but it is bookmarked and I’ll be back.
Hello!
Just to let you know that your blog and blog link has been added to Bloggers Over 50 Blog Roll!
Welcome!!
Hope as you peruse some of the other blogs you find some kindred spirits and make new friendships.
Thank you! And now, the Bloggers Over 50 blog has been added to my blogroll!
It’s lovely to exchange links. And thank you very much for your kind words.
I love the way you write and it is one of your abundant special talents. I also fantasize about writing one day. In my current job as the new business development guy and sometimes purchasing manager, I ran into a chance to submit a passionately written piece to an American technical journal about the benefits I gained from their publication. Well, it was a no-brainer because I lack advanced technical training and I often use the journal for references and answers and it even makes me look like I know what I’m doing. Yesterday an envelope was brought to me by UPS and there was a $50 prize check inside. I had won their contest from among hundreds of submissions out of which 10 were chosen randomly. The best papers might be published (sigh).
How cool Harold! Congratulations! I’m really proud of you!