Kelly DeMaegd
FROM ANYTHING LOST, SOMETHING REMAINS
During a nocturnal, cosmic, cupboardian shift,
cereal bowls, carefully organized in columns of four,
stir, roll, tumble to the floor,
released from their servitude of vessel-dom.
The lowly pottery bowl can now be measured,
cut into tesserae, constructed to resemble
the Prussian Blue horizon line
found in ancient villa mosaic floors.
Better yet, the pieces swept up, lobbed
to the bottom of a brother pot, drainage aid
for hollyhock, cosmos, foxglove. After first frost,
shards are discarded in the farthest corner of the yard.
Over time, rain-buffeted, wind-scrubbed; pieces are reduced
to dust, silica, alumina, sedimentary clay.
Waiting to be found, ground, glazed,
burned in the cycle’s inevitable return.
Wild Goose Poetry Review 
First, I just love the use of the word “cupboardian”. Brilliant. Wonderful detail here, I can picture every bit of it. Loved too, the transition from bowl to drainage aid to dust. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thank you, Barbara! I appreciate your kind words!
Kelly, I said it before and I’ll say it again, Good job!
I always appreciate your input, Patricia. You are a compass for me – thank you!
You have a very special gift ! Thank you for sharing. This is one of my favorites !!
xo
B
That means a lot, Betty – thank you!
LOVED it …… great imagery ……… if I were a cereal bowl, I would want to be in your cupboard.
Thanks, Retha! Our cupboard doesn’t seem to be too stable, though!
Hi Kelly,
Great job…I agree, I want to be a bowl in your cupboard…divine intervention here also, as I sift thru so much cupboardian stuff…recycle,repurpose,reuse,..but you did so quite eloquently
Thank you, Heidi. I’ve been thinking about you as you sift….
Hello Kelly,
Wonderful yet thought provoking ….I cannot help but see the parallel to life… Thanks for sharing!
You are so right about the parallel to life! Thanks for your kind words, Julie!
I like the idea of bowls having a period of servitude they must go through – good imagery, Kelly.
Doug
Servitude first, liberation and, finally, continued transformation! Thanks, Doug!
I love the circularity of this! (ars longa, so to speak)
Thank you, Phebe!
I still think about this poem a lot, Kelly. From the “cupboardian shift” to rebirth “waiting to be found, ground, glazed, burned in the cycle’s inevitable return”. So like life in a beautiful poem.
I really appreciate your comments, Mel! Thank you so much!
Great poem! Like others, I love the “cupboardian shift’! Awesome new word – I think my kitchen needs a major cupboardian shift!
This is so visual and descriptive, and playful (“released from their servitude of vessel-dom” – what a great line!). You have artfully married narrative with epiphany, without being too heavy-handed with either. Delightful!
Thank you, Donna! I wasn’t sure about using “cupboardian shift” but that’s the phrase everyone remembers!