Tuesday, October 25, 2011

A Poem About Unintended Purposes

Purpose


We used to shop 
Side-by-side.
We didn't care how long it took.
Soon we became 
Two blind mice, 
With the same depot
And disparate courses,
who met at check-out. 
Once I came upon 
A vintage-looking suitcase 
That I coveted.
Forest green, 
with cognac-colored leather.
Sized perfectly
For an overhead compartment.
It didn't get a reaction
From you, who stood in line.
In three minutes of silent waiting, 
I created a life for the suitcase, 
which I'd pack 
Full of bikinis 
And gauzy cover-ups
For the romantic getaway 
We kept putting off.
I put the small valise
In our hall closet.
I wouldn't use it. I'd wait.
The vacation wasn't coming 
And that's why I stuffed that suitcase
When I left our home
For good. 


-H.J.B.

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