Plain Thoughts About Things
By Barbara Kussow
What will be done with the things?
A nonspecific word to be avoided
in poetry. Connotation of
tangible. Well, usually.
How are things? An exception.
A nonspecific word to be avoided
in poetry. Connotation of
tangible. Well, usually.
How are things? An exception.
In old age, a question some
may not want to pursue
specifically though others
might be greedy for detail.
My mother’s things—
quilts carefully stitched
that matched no one’s tastes.
Photos of people I can’t identify.
Some still boxed, never viewed.
Our friends’ things–
purged for assisted living.
Years of National Geographic.
Scientific tomes, evidence
of intellect no library wants.
My own things—
An owl collection, perhaps
destined for eBay. Poetry
and short story collections.
My sons are not literary.
Things evoke pride and pleasure.
Then require ruthlessness.
I lack the guillotine urge
to lop off sentiment. But I vow:
Tomorrow, I will find a home
for my mother’s lavender afghan.
Barbara Kussow is a contributor to “Writing after Retirement: Tips from Successful Retired Writers” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014; ed.by Carol Smallwood and Christine and Christine Redman-Waldeyer). Her short fiction has appeared in online and print venues, such as The Storyteller, Wild Violet, and Mysterical-E. Poetry has been published in Kaleidoscope, Dos Passos Review, Hospital Drive, Danse Macabre, Wild Violet, and other literary magazines. Essays and book columns have appeared online and in local papers. She was editor and publisher of Still Crazy, a literary magazine that published poetry, fiction, and essays written by or about people over age 50 (www.crazylitmag.com), from 2008-2017. Recently, she completed her first novel for which she is seeking publication.