to shelter oneself from chocolate wrappers
and plastic tumblers takes some fortitude
prose that keeps a deep well in perspective
the world has glass someone said, and I opened
both ears sure I had missed something
in my upbringing between changing diapers
and warming siblings bottles
"No, it is not my baby" I told the woman
behind the counter, chubby baby resting
comfortably on my newly rounded hip
"Do you sell glass tumblers?" I asked her
a firm No was her answer you have to leave
this town to get glass.
"Do you sell tickets?" I added. "To get out of town I mean."
No, no tickets sold here girl, no tickets only plastic,
baby bottles and cloth diapers. Pins are extra.
I left the hipped baby with her father's wife
sold a red calf for passage buying a first flight
across a mooned river that I marked No Return
return deemed life as non-refundable
It was this giving up of plastic forever that moved
me through a looking glass window into a world,
mirroring memories of drinking from a well, un-wishable
bkmackenzie
copyrighted 2011
Loved this piece, return deemed life as non-refundable, nice. Drinking from a well, says it all! Loved your image, too.
ReplyDeleteSeemed a wise escape, and then that which is mirrored left me wondering if this was true.
ReplyDeleteI love it too. So real and so captivating. thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteVery true!!...thank you...bkm
ReplyDeletegrew up on well water....and try to steer clear of the plastic, this is a little surreal but i like it...
ReplyDelete"across a mooned river" and drinking from an un-wishable well - very deep, Barbara, and beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteYou should consider writing a short story about this. I want to hear more :)
ReplyDeletelori, i think it will be my next venture ....a memoir...thank you for stopping by....bkm
ReplyDeletewow, bkm. So much shared here in this short story. An un-wishable well...so life wasn't what she thought it would be once she left that town? Kind of a "grass always looks greener on the the other side" thing? I was really drawn in by this. It must have came from your soul :)
ReplyDelete