Photography by Jennifer Matthews

 

Moms Not Home

The floors are not swept
And the dishes are unwashed

The smell of warm soap and fabric softener from the washer

And clothes in dryer smell of lilacs

The sound of laughter from the den and the television room
YouTube plays songs of The Weekend or Chris Brown

Short packages from Amazon arrive with necessity,
I admired your earnest for vacuuming

The smell of Jimmy Deans hot sausage in the skillet,
And the Wright’s Bacon in the oven

Are you talking to your brothers or sister again on the phone?

And the birds are pooping on the porch again(you hated this)

And I can’t the smell of ammonia in the bathroom

Your natural silliness plays in the head and the heart

This is what kills

 

Damion Hamilton is from St. Louis MO. His poems have appeared in Chiron Review, Poesy Magazine, Zygote In My Coffee, Red Fez, The Camel Saloon and many others. He writes poetry, stories and novels. He has written several books.

Poet/Photographer Jennifer Matthews’ poetry has been published in Nepal by Pen Himalaya and locally by the Wilderness Retreat Writers Organization, Midway Journal, The Somerville Times, Ibbetson Street Press and Boston Girl Guide. Jennifer was nominated for a poetry award by the Cambridge Arts Council for her book of poetry Fairy Tales and Misdemeanors. Her songs have been released nationally and internationally and her photography has been used as covers for a number of Ibbetson Street Press poetry books and has been exhibited at The Middle East Restaurant, 1369 Coffeehouses, Sound Bites Restaurant in Somerville and McLean Hospital.