Dear Kitchen Cabinets,
I apologize for slamming
You so much in my 30s.
You were there and
You had a handle.
In a way you
Were asking for it.
But there were
One too many dirty plates
Left in the living room.
(What am I,
The maid?)
And there was
My desire to complete
One measly thought
Without interruption.
(What is “alone time”
Anyway?)
These are little things,
I know, but
These distractions,
These unintended discourtesies,
Are the big stuff of every mother’s life
And, sadly and simply,
They are not to be avoided.
Therefore,
I’m sorry
I took it out on you,
kitchen cabinets of
Lightly stained maple.
You never broke down
To hang limp from a torn hinge.
Well…
Except
For that one time.
–Marilyn Yung
Thanks for reading! For more poetry, visit my poetry page. For teaching poetry, visit my teaching website, ELA Brave and True, with more than 350 posts, including a large collection of poetry lesson plans.
Photo by: Eric Nuhr on Unsplash
Marilyn Yung 