Thursday, March 20, 2008

Surreal

for Totally Optional Prompts March 20, 2008
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Every Year, Just Before School Begins

I am wearing
a Red Sox cap
with the visor
pulled low
shading my eyes

in the shower.
That’s why I can’t
find the shampoo
or conditioner
or soap.

Finally, I just get out
of the tub
and wipe myself
with the rug
since my towel
has disappeared.

Then, what to wear…
I stand in front
of my closet
looking for my black
skirt
but can only find
my dead father’s
clothes.

I dress in his pants
that hang
on me like elephant
legs. I need
a belt
but can only find
a necklace.
That will have to do.

I walk downstairs
with just my bra
and those pants
on and start making
my lunch
but the bread is all
gone so I pack
the toaster in my book-
bag, instead.

At school
no one notices
I am only half dressed.
My kids are too busy
throwing things
around the room,
making out in corners,
dancing to a live band
that has set up
in front of my desk.

I holler.
I scream.
I whistle.
They ignore me.
An alarm clock
whizzes through
the air.
I catch it
and feel the round
snooze button.

I push it
and settle back
into the cranberry
sheets of my waterbed,

the August sun
outlining the shade
in neon reality.

13 comments:

paisley said...

oooohh yeah.. that was perfect surreal,, and dreamy too!!!!

Tumblewords: said...

Beautifully done - NOW I understand surreal!

Anonymous said...

HA! i could see it. Well done.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Love how you tease reality into surreal dimensions!

The image of "cranberry sheets" really hit all the senses. Quite a surreal image!

Sherry said...

Really well done. I could see this, feel it and completely understand it!

Crafty Green Poet said...

excellent surreal dream. I feel as though I've been there...

Anonymous said...

almost more real than real. nicely done.

Anonymous said...

Really enjoyed this, beautifully structured to really draw the reader along and very surreal.

Yours truly Mason said...

beautifuly put and i signed up for that peotry class i really hope i get it i miss you as a teacher anyways great poems very sureal

Rebecca said...

love your blog, would like to ask you a question. can be reached at rebecca[dot]camarena[@]gmail[dot]com

Sandra.if said...

that was amazing!

Andy Sewina said...

Yeah, this is surreal!

Anonymous said...

I really like your poem!

Linda's Poems