Monday, October 28, 2013

Of Cancer and The Limits of Stain Cleaner

Not like the
Ketchup
Paint
Even blood
Soaked into the fabric of a shirt
That you first see with a sense of foreboding
The history of that top flashing through your mind's eye
Did she wear it on her second day of school
Was he wearing it when he first rode the bike out of sight around the corner
Was he wearing it when its sky blue hues made his eyes look like his mothers'
Will she ever wear it again
And then view with a sense of defiance
Magic bottle in your hand
Overindulgence typical of the me generation in your heart
Eagerly spraying
Rubbing
Working
Fighting
And then waiting
Biting fingernails
Hoping
At least
For progress
And justification for more
Spraying
Rubbing
Soaking
Sitting
Fighting
Until
Victory
Or tears
Or preferably both
And if not
A trip to buy a new top
No
It's not like that at all
It's a grass stain
A little old garden variety grass stain
That starts coming out as soon as you spray it
You have to know
Believe
That it is always just a grass stain


No comments: