Poetry: "Poems"

Poems

Simeom Ommen

Live among the mundane

the forgotten vicious cycles of life

They hide in the dust

that etches itself in through an ajar door

So, as you get up, try different words

Send them flying across the room

Like the shirts you try to match with the navy

and black outfit your mom said you couldn’t wear

Toss used words into the hamper

that sits beside the opened door

Have them washed and put back

To use in your dresser for later

Place the words neatly

as you rearrange your bed

Throw the sham pillow off the side

Who really needs that anyways?

Lucky enough, ideas will pour

like charms, into your cereal bowl

Chomp on what floats

then clean what sticks

When you brush your teeth

scrape words out with floss

Rinse and spit until you reach

that pasty yellow we perceive as white

Then suck the dust from the air

and you’ll be ready for your day

But suck the dust from your head

and you

will have

a poem

Judge's Notes:

“How refreshing to read this ars poetica that emphasizes finding the stuff of poems in the ordinary tasks of daily life. Of course, these words and ideas must be roughed up, chewed over, taught a lesson, laundered and recycled, and then vacuumed like dust mites to be delivered to the

page. So much energy and humor in this poet’s take on the art of creating poetry.”