POEM — Still, She Swept

Still, she swept.

She did not like housework, but this is what she was reduced to,

Cleaning up after someone else.

Among the dirt

And dust

And detritus

Was a old photograph

 

A young couple in matching holiday sweaters,

In front of a Christmas tree,

Arms around each other,

Drinks in hand

and very much in love.

Already she did not like them;

 — for being happy,

— for being pretty,

–for being young.

She stared until the picture blurred

Bitter tears over an old photograph

That wasn’t even hers;

This is what she had been reduced to.

Still, she wept.

*

After spending his formative years being tormented by nuns JJ (aka jfx mcloughlin) has recently joined forces with a very different kind of sister. Our go-to guy in case of zombie apocalypse or poetry crisis, he’s a writer with allota heart. And we love him for it.

JJ’s work appears around Twisted Sister, floating through the Twitterverse at @jfxmcl, and he remains the mysterious force behind deadsurvivors and jimmy junk. Be sure to check out Safe House and look for JJ waving an AR-15 and booking it out of town.