320 and 321

A tankard of detergent on the floor,

a shadow casting outward from its face,

before the corner of a closet door,

before a sword in quite the strangest place.

The edge of a small bookcase can be seen,

enough to see one paper and one book.

And there it is your eyes are forced to lean,

because there’s nowhere else for you to look.

Except, perhaps, the doormat by the sword,

that’s poking underneath the closet’s sill.

That’s where the cat will perch when he is bored,

you’ll see some litter trapped there, if you will.

There’s also wooden floorboards by the door,

but Purex laundry soap is the decor.

~~~

We sailed without a thought before the wind,

and went without a rigging on the mast,

our oars, all overboard, we did rescind,

and went without a net for fish to cast.

That vessel veering with no stock nor sail

could ne’er have been a better boat for us

who took no pleasure in the charted trail

that wilted in our hearts our wanderlust.

Thus blew we breaking on the wake of god,

collateral we were and craved to be,

and held no handrail, nor a rope, nor rod,

whiles we were whisked with wonder with the sea.

We loved it, we who sank into that sea;

and lived, for just a moment, honestly.