Published 2016
The Southampton Review
Things like sofas and chairs we bought new
Rugs too–except for that old sisal runner
I nailed to the stairs so the kids wouldn’t slip
We spent $500 on a vintage velvet wingback
We tried in three spots before returning
The long brown hard couch was also probably
A mistake but we made it work
Things we had doubles of we simply used both
Chef’s knives, wine glasses, dessert plates, cereal bowls
What didn’t mix and match we alternated
Only the cutlery jumbled together
Thrown in a too-small drawer, spoons and forks so
Mismatched they refused to nest one atop another and
Tangled and tumbled and scratched instead
We use it all, sitting on this and sipping from that
And laughing and living and pretending
We were cereal bowls and probably knowing we were cutlery