Objects Used to Prop Open a Window
Dog bone, stapler,
cribbage board, garlic press
because this window is loose—lacks
suction, lacks grip.
Bungee cord, bootstrap,
dog leash, leather belt
because this window had sash cords.
They frayed. They broke.
Feather duster, thatch of straw, empty
bottle of Elmer's glue
because this window is loud—its hinges clack
open, clack shut.
Stuffed bear, baby blanket,
single crib newel
because this window is split. It's dividing
in two.
Velvet moss, sagebrush,
willow branch, robin's wing
because this window, it's pane-less. It's only
a frame of air.
cribbage board, garlic press
because this window is loose—lacks
suction, lacks grip.
Bungee cord, bootstrap,
dog leash, leather belt
because this window had sash cords.
They frayed. They broke.
Feather duster, thatch of straw, empty
bottle of Elmer's glue
because this window is loud—its hinges clack
open, clack shut.
Stuffed bear, baby blanket,
single crib newel
because this window is split. It's dividing
in two.
Velvet moss, sagebrush,
willow branch, robin's wing
because this window, it's pane-less. It's only
a frame of air.
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Disclaimer
We do not accept unsolicited submissions. American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2015 by Michelle Menting, “Objects Used to Prop Open a Window,” from Decomp Magazine, (February, 2015). Poem reprinted by permission of Michelle Menting and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2024 by The Poetry Foundation.