Charms
My lucky fill-in-the-blank.
How does an object earn
our devotion, and how come
certain items yield favorable
outcomes. The heavy clusters
of green plastic grapes dangling
from my earlobes, chosen in
fourth grade to help me pass
my math tests, which,
apparently, conjured three
separate and unexpected fire
alarms in school. You don’t
know a belonging is lucky until
something good happens while
you’re holding it. The blue
guitar pick on the floor of
the post office, waiting for me.
When I drink from the coffee mug
with my name painted in black
script across it, the day will be
good, or will improve. The trick
is to recognize the good luck charm
amidst the junk surrounding you,
the gold lamp with its belly full
of a genie in a headlock versus
the gold lamp full of nothing.
I admire those you carry a lucky penny or whatever and truly believe it has power.
ReplyDeleteThe line that stands out for the truth it holds: "You don't // know a belonging is lucky until / something good happens while / you're holding it."
I've always been fascinated by charms, never really understood their attraction. Your poem helps me see them in a new light.
ReplyDeleteVery cute...I am now collecting Pandora charms because it was gifted to me, and until the bracelet is filled this has to go on apparently! : )
ReplyDeletePersonally I am not a charm person and cannot see meaning in charms although I have to admit that I like shiny little objects as a cat would for example.
Great to see you Hannah...missed reading you : )
Nice assonance.
ReplyDelete