I LOVE TO DO LAUNDRY

Berthold Lippel

The house is silent.

My boys--young and old

are out in the world,

leaving me solitary

in my laundry room chapel.

 

The sun is there, uninvited

playing with its motes.

I have filled the washer's

vast emptiness to the rim

with the secret invisible

socially unacceptable

 

DIRT

(such an unpoetic word!)

there must be no dirt

in a properly run house.

 

Dirt is sin

I am the priestess

giving absolution

 

Sitting on an upturned box

hypnotized, I watch the giant eye

in which every garment

dances in turn.

My domestic mind

is purified as it watches.

 

Here at last is one task

with a start and an end.

The clothes are clean

all is forgiven

my mind is spotless again

I am ready to...

 

I am ready to dry.

 

 

  • Author: Berthold Lippel (Offline Offline)
  • Published: June 6th, 2016 23:59
  • Comment from author about the poem: Written for my neighbor Maria who meditates during laundry--so she tells me...
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 103
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Comments +

Comments2

  • BRIAN & ANGELA

    YES BERTHOLD - There is something cathartic about washing clothes - especially for the washer (M or F). In third World Countries when one sees someone (usually a lady) washing the clothes "Down bythe Riverside" you can tell by her expression and the sigh of relief (when the task is complete) that her soul has been cleansed as well ! A well crafted poem and a very CLEAN one too ! BRIAN

  • lysistrata

    Dirty Old Bert,

    I meditate with a hot iron overloaded with steaming thoughts.
    Can you cool my iron down.??🚒
    I love it.Send you later en price my analysis(!) about E.Bishop's "Insomnia" and my "Journey to
    Luna-cy".... I hope you'd enjoy my last poem,

    Maria's cousin.😉





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