a poet’s notebook

Love

 

dogs' ball, on the deck, in autumn

 

I've looked everywhere:
the junk drawer in the kitchen,
the catch-all on the dresser,
in every cupboard and cabinet.
I scolded the cat and got down
on my knees to look under the sofa.
It's not in the garage, the basement,
the attic. I cleaned out the car,
the glove-box, the trunk. I've swept
all the corners, emptied the desk.
I asked Google, Yahoo, and Amazon.
I searched Wikipedia, called
everyone I know. I switched out
the bed linens, shook out the rugs,
shuffled the pages of all the books.
It is not here. I've looked everywhere,
year after year, but I cannot find it.

   

Totally Optional Prompts button  This week's prompt was Lost Stuff.

UPDATED Monday, 11 August:  A new title, at Jim Murdoch's suggestion.

7 responses to “Love”

  1. Crafty Green Poet Avatar

    I know the feeling, except for me it would be scolding the rabbit!

  2. Felicity Avatar

    One feels so helpless when things are like this. I like the way you’ve conveyed that in the poem. 🙂

  3. Jim Murdoch Avatar

    I’m in two minds about this piece. It didn’t pan out as I expected but I’m not sure that’s necessarily a bad thing. I thought we’d find out what it was you were looking for for but we don’t. If I’d done this poem the only change I would’ve made was to entitle it ‘Love’.
    I’m reminded of an old Ziggy cartoon where he’s standing in front of an Information window and the man behind the counter is trying to explain why it’s only in his remit to tell him about things within the actual store and he knows nothing about this thing called ‘love’.
    The fact that you don’t tell us what it is means that it could still be love or that certain missing something that would make everything all right. I like it.

  4. SB Avatar

    Jim, what an excellent idea!
    You might like this poem: What Does Love Want? — I knew as soon as it was written what the title should be.
    Also, calling this one ‘Love’ would make it responsive to one of the prompts in my previous post.

  5. Tracey Avatar
    Tracey

    You forgot to look in the mirror.

  6. paisley Avatar

    oh this was fun… and oh so true!!!!!!

  7.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    So much truth
    delightfully put
    and the title suggestion
    made it…thanks, Fran

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