Jean Passarelli
Aglet
If I could have another daughter, I'd name her "Aglet"
just so people would have to say the word.
The thing at each end of a shoelace to keep it from fraying has this name too.
I think of how many are harbored in households at this moment.
Their mundane glory, cast off at the door, four at a time
as though they did not perform exactly as needed.
Sometimes they make it onto the warm rug or freshly washed kitchen floor
like a boatload of scoundrels carried by shoe vessels.
Sometimes they are tied together and hung from telephone wire.
Spikes on the perimeter of roofs have subtle names like "bird B gone"
Their purpose is to keep pigeons from landing,
but often eradicate the dove and sparrow in the bargain.
If the world were mine, I'd line the roofs with owl statues.
Nature's sentinel is more than enough to drive home inhospitality.
Did you know that "overmorrow" means the day after tomorrow?
We don't know much in our limerence. We pretend there is no word for humility.
Bio
Jean is lifelong Chicagoan, who chose her apartment based on the perfect window for her writing desk. he is proud of her various Poetry and Flash acceptances over the years - and happy to add Muse-Pie Press to the list! She is reluctantly retired, but openly enjoying grandparenting, travel, and cooking and foodie endeavors in the best city for it.