ManicDDaily

I’ll show you fear in a
stackfull of fresh-pressed clothes

I know it will not truly jump
across the floor, that I won’t bump
into it when three feet away–almost every day
I use it virtually–
virtuously–
wrinkles raising a very different fear–
imagine my mother here–bending
over the board, sighing willfully
that I–no one–could–
like she did–
a trip–slam, slip–everything perfectly
flattened before packed
like some
old idea
of the planet, even a flounced skirt
pressed into a rectangular
Western state–I really
can–from across the
divide–

I own
my own now–and don’t
bother with board – on my couch, bed, rug–trying not
to be ruffled by
inner
shudder–I know its burn
won’t bite
independently, but worry, in my rushed flush, I just
might press the clothes I am actually wearing, scorching an
imprint like that birthmark on my left thigh that
looks like the map of some far
crannied
continent.

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Here’s a draft poem of sorts for a wonderful prompt hosted by Stu McPherson for dVerse Poets Pub on fear and phobia.  I am afraid that almost everything I write has some root in fear, so I focused on phobia.  In this case, of irons (ha!), and I really do not hook it onto my mother, but I figure this made for a better story.   For a deeper fear poem, see my “Englyn” on thoughts of death.  

And check out dVerse for wonderful poetry.  And if you have time, check out my books!  Poetry, GOING ON SOMEWHERE, (by Karin Gustafson, illustrated by Diana Barco). 1 Mississippi -counting book for lovers of rivers, light and pachyderms, or Nose Dive, a very fun novel that is perfect for a pool or beachside escape. Nose Dive is available on Kindle for just 99 cents!