The Story Garden 5.0
Poetry


Photograph by Sue Miller Fluffy Clean Fresh White Towel

When you come in
from the world
your face dirty as sin
close your eyes
splash water on yourself
you don't need no stinking soap

Then reach out and grab that towel
dry your face, rub it hard, the nooks
beside your nose, your eyesockets,
corners of your mouth, behind the ears

Look at it
Look at that
Your face just filthified that fluffy towel
Aren't you proud?
It's a well-earned pride
It's the shroud of where you've been
It's beauty, it's truth

Now
hang it out the window
so they can see
what they did to you
& that you don't give a damn
if they know how much you still
love & want them all

--William Middleton
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