Things That Could One Day Find Their Way Into a Poem

This week I’d like to share a poem with you. It holds the record for the longest title of any piece I’ve written so far.

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Things That Could One Day Find Their Way Into a Poem
(in no particular order)

the way I hold my hot tea by the cup instead of the handle
after it has cooled to the perfect temperature;

the little glass coasters with the photos in the center—
a sunset, a statue, you when you still had long hair;

the spot of green paint on the windowpane;

the smell of the dog’s blanket (not a nice smell
but not a terrible one either—sharp, earthy, a hint of salt);

the postcard lying on the desk, corners bent, ink smeared;

the look on your face when you’ve just said something clever
and you’re wondering if I noticed;

the person who walked by the house while I was writing this,
not the one the dog barked at, but the other one
with the backpack and shaggy hair,
who the dog sensed was not a threat;

the sound of the space heater dulling the season’s chill;

the itch in the corner of my eye that would not go away;

and the photo of the bird, taken on our honeymoon
at the Chinese tea gardens in Portland, Oregon,
just after you read a poem to a group of strangers
because the guide asked you to, delighting your new wife
who didn’t know that might be the only time
she’d ever hear you do that

© Carie Juettner

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This poem won the Austin Poetry Society’s Elzy Marathon Thompson Memorial Award last May, and was published in their anthology, Best Austin Poetry 2014-2015, which just came out last week. If you’re interested in reading the rest of the winning poems, including a second one by me, you can order your own copy of the book from Lulu.com.

Have a very merry holiday!

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[Don’t forget– if you comment on my blog posts between now and December 31, 2015, you’ll be entered to win my book giveaway!]