Sunday 1 December 2013

stuff

after they left the place
I felt, suddenly, lonely
with the stuff in the room
– the décor of my life –
plopped with me:

taking up space,
forlorn and meek,
in the all-at-once ho-hum
of the bellowing silence  –

as my glance
tumbled glumly
from lamp shade to candlestick,
somewhat, expectant

as if the higgledy-piggledy piles
of books and papers heaped
in casual comfort before
the corner gadget mountain
deftly dotted with chotskies,
in need of dusting,

would, somehow,
fill the void that remained,
when they left –
and took the laughter
with them.

photo:  Beautiful Jumble – W. Bourke (This picture was taken in a charming little shop on Vancouver’s Antique Row – a beautiful jumble artfully arranged, I’m sure, as this just doesn’t happen by accident.) 

© 2013 Wendy Bourke

4 comments:

  1. You capture loneliness so well here...and that feeling "stuff" doesn't provide. I love "bellowing silence"--brilliant!

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  2. Thanks, Jennifer. I often find the home feels the emptiest, right after a big, happy crowd leaves.

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  3. Thought-provoking! That's a place we all can relate to at times.
    Your photo is perfect here.

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  4. Oh, I feel this poem. Sad when the laughter is gone. The 'stuff' doesn't quite replace those who are no longer there.

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