Necessity Is a Mother

Necessity Is a Mother

No metronome?
Ask your household items
to step in.
Keep time to the constant drip
of the bathtub
faucet. Tighten it for a slower
drip, a slower
pace. Angle the fan toward
the blinds,
so that the knotted cord taps
the windowsill.
Turn the knobs of the stove
so that the flame
tries to ignite, but let it tsk
tsk tsk without
ever catching. Practice that
in a well-ventilated
area. Bribe the neighbor kid
with sugar wafers,
give her a knitting needle
and saucepan
and stomp your foot to pass
the rhythm to her.
Sit in your car. Alternate between
your blinker
and your windshield wipers.
In this life,
we want things we do not have.
These needs
become our gifts, our instruments.