Sunday, April 6, 2025

April 6: Washing Machine Apostrophe

dear washer dear cleaning cube 

so coddled with small loads 

you wait in the basement 

and know she’ll come to do 

her slow work with you and 

together cleanse clothing 

for children in and out 

kids going your standing 

grounds her work snapshot 

of her hovering over stains 

her intensity scrubbing nonstop 

hands brush on the fabric you take in 

those scrubbings of her your load lighter 

many things you can do but not that labor 

so many minutes she squanders at the iron 

good washer functional mate of my mother 

you are some days the idol she prays to 

so even when we fail our clothes succeed 

our days hung up on hangers still straight 

tags ironed flat pleats in place on khaki 

 our closets remnants days shaped by us

hours ticking on timers your sister dryer 

much more spoiled used sparingly 

may grow lazy or even break from

lack of use by our lady of tumble 

out the wrinkled then hang to dry 

who makes our lives easier 

so much easier by her care 

who defends protects us

from abuse did you know 

 she has spent such time 


 Inspired by “Ode to the Loom” by Monica Sok

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