Spring Cleaning

by Daisy if you do   Jan 26, 2012


Pieces of "her" linger
nested in the beams of this house
like roaches
feasting on my sanity.

There are pieces of junk mail
bearing her name and MY address

Pale yellow walls mock me,
what a cheery soul she must be.
A shade of red or brown would suit me
better.

Worn paths to and from the kitchen
where I'm sure she hummed some merry
tune while preparing a feast with
spices too elaborate for a common woman
such as myself.

Tucked neatly in drawers are
hotel soaps like billboards
reminding me...
they once were "we"

Her scent lingers upon the wind
with each little daffodil and rose
she planted with decorative skill
around the pecan tree.
I prefer gardenias or tulips.

My time is spent writing poetry
rather than being a domestic goddess.
Planting, painting, and cooking
are things even an ordinary girl
like myself could do.

I suppose it's time to do some
spring cleaning.

4


Did You Like This Poem?

Latest Comments

  • 12 years ago

    by Lonely Rider

    The poem is filled with beautiful images, delicately woven together. I too thought it from the point of view of mother for her daughter but when I read
    "what a cheery soul she must be. " , I wasn't sure. A mother would know her daughter perfectly and there won't be a case "may be".

    It might be about other women or maybe mother-in-law who has departed.

    I couldn't pin point on just one verse to be categorized as my favorite, there are so many of them, like

    There are pieces of junk mail
    bearing her name and MY address

    Her scent lingers upon the wind
    with each little daffodil and rose
    she planted with decorative skill

    there's a feeling of appreciation and a hint of - i am not finding the exact word - say aloofness to her qualities and you want to erase memories.

    Overall a very beautiful write. The way you have described the things is captivating.

  • 12 years ago

    by ronel mccarthy

    Excellent ,vivid images! I'm not very domesticated but I find spring cleaning very therapeutic .

  • 12 years ago

    by Yakari Gabriel

    See, this poem.
    I wrote in my previous comment...
    that I was schoked others interpret this as a poem about the other woman...

    because to me it looks more like a mommy-daughter thing,and when one of them moved out
    the other wanted to erase all that was left of the other..

    but that's the beauty of poetry,
    and you left tons of room for different interpretations here.

    I was particularely fond
    of the stanza about the flowers.
    you did a brilliant job sugar coating
    your differences and the image I got of the different flowers was gorgeous..

    the ending was explosive,
    though the title gives a little away
    the ending still hit..

    this was very unique and you got creativity down to a T!

    Amazing Write Babygurl!

    I loved it,and I keep re-reading.

  • 12 years ago

    by Melpomene

    Kay,*

    I honestly have never read a poem with the term 'roaches' in it before and as much as they make me squirm I loved how they connected to different imagery throughout your poem.

    You used a lot of natural terms, obviously this due to the environment you were portraying but even the draws reminded me of wood and the term "spring cleaning" creates a sense of nature even though it's not technically meant in such a context. The poem had homely warmth even with the 'cooler' tone.

    I adored the concept of this piece, I took it in a literal sense but honestly the idea comes down to not wanting to follow in someone else's footsteps. The tone was colder but also somewhat bitter because you're constantly reminded of a past without you in it while trying to create your own future.

    "There are pieces of junk mail
    bearing her name and MY address"

    This is one part that really stood out in my mind. I adored it. I understood the emphasis on "MY" but I didn't feel it was necessary as it has just the same an impact when you read it without it, the emotion and idea is there and very creative I must add.

    I loved the use of colour symbolism throughout, especially the reference to the yellow and cheery and how it was contrasted against the red. Red is a fiery colour and while I mentioned earlier the fact that the tone seemed bitter perhaps the person is just a fiery person!

    I really loved the contrast of personalities throughout this piece, they were polar opposites and you know it intrigues me of how a man or a woman who splits tends to find someone that's completely different to the one before them.

    Lovely poem Kay! It's so nice to see you writing again.
    -Mel

  • 12 years ago

    by TJ Arizona Eagle

    I enjoyed the creativeness of this, your words brought vibrant images of one that was. A person that lingers , the ghost of past residence.
    Excellent write

More Poems By Daisy if you do