DOMESTIC POEM

everyday

i’m going to write

a poem

about how my wife

does the washing

everyday

 

but i am too busy

hanging out the washing

 

as i peg

her knickers

to the frayed line

i think of robert frost

 

he said re free verse

to hang the washing out

without pegs you’d

have to tie shirt arms

to each other …

 

my brother colour codes

the pegs a line of red

and a line of green

and a line of blue

and a line of yellow

and a line of white

 

birds have pecked

this line for its

underlining for

their nests …

in autumn wispy curls

reflect my aged beard

 

my wife interrupts:

“what a lovely drying day!”

as she is wont to say

everyday