On My Own
Posted: March 13th, 2006 under creative writing, poem.
I leave the light on
For me. I clean,
Do the laundry, the dishes,
Take out the garbage.
I call home.
How long does it take
To boil water?
What temperature do you
Wash towels at?
I can use cat litter
To get my car unstuck?
I play music.
I fill the house
With sound. It’s always
Too cold, too empty.
I hang curtains. I dream
Up elaborate craft projects
To make with remnants,
Little scraps of cloth left over
From other people’s lives,
That I rescue
And make useful again.
Slowly, I erase
The newness of the place.
I call home.
Yes, I got the package you sent.
Yes, I’m eating properly.
You should come up.
You should come see
How well I’m doing
On my own.
I huddle before
the television’s glow.
I watch cooking shows,
But always seem to find them
When the beautiful food
Is already nearly done
And the first steps remain
A mystery to me.
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