Day four: Depression

Today two in one: this poem is for NaPoWriMo like every day in April plus for A and I Poetry Challenge. Let’s see what they ask for.

Challenge 4: “Write a poem that is about something abstract … but which discusses or describes that abstraction in the form of relentlessly concrete nouns. Adjectives are fine too!” As you can see, they are getting very precise. And personal!

A and I Poetry Challenge: “Write a poem that begins with the last thing you can remember someone saying to you yesterday.” I should repeat it two or three times but once was enough. Thank you.

Boulevard of Broken Bathrooms

How hard is it
to see life as a shaft
full of crocodiles
with their mouths wide open?

“The bathroom is broken again,”
amid cussing.
Choosing anger over sadness
because it gives you tools to work with.
You throw the tools
into the mouths of crocodiles
one by one
until they choke.
You are a toolman.

Another toilet seat broken.
Paper roll finished.
Glass not even half empty
but smashed
with shards deep in your sole
and soul.

The zoo of your anger might be hungry,
the bathroom might be broken,
but the handyman
with tools
in his able hands
will strike again
and fix the crocodile hatch.

Their bark will fall silenced
or at least muddled.
Until the cycle comes full circle
and the last words before bedtime
are cussing
about something broken
again.

Old photo. This shower is fixed yet. Featured photo above: Guest room – work in progress.