ESPECIALLY AFTER TRIPPING ON SOMETHING
STEPPING ON SOMETHING
BUMPING INTO SOMETHING OR
SQUEEZING THROUGH SOMETHINGS
THE PLACE WAS JUST TOO FULL OF STUFF
WHY HAD THEY FILLED THE PLACE UP
WHAT COMPELLED THEM
IS ALL OF LIFE A BIG BOX THAT FILLS UP
AND THEN EMPTIES
HE HAD SEEN THEM AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
THE PODS
BIG STORAGE BOXES PARKED ON DRIVEWAYS
ONE COULD PUT A LOT OF STUFF IN THERE
A LOT OF CLUTTER
THE CLUTTER WOULD REMAIN SAFE
UNTIL DECISIONS COULD BE MADE
AS TO HOW TO GET RID OF IT ALL
IT TOOK ALL DAY
AND HE HAD AWOKEN AT 330 AM
BUT HE GOT ALL THE STUFF OUT OF THE PLACE
FURNITURE
DISHES
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS WAS THE MOST
HE DIDNT HAVE A POD TO PUT THE STUFF IN
AND DIDNT CARE
EVERYTHING WAS OUTSIDE
HE WALKED INTO THE PLACE
EMPTY
FOR THE LAST DECADE
IT HAD NOT BEEN
EMPTY
NOTHING HAD BEEN
EMPTY
HE LAID IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EMPTY BOX OF A PLACE
SAW NOTHING BUT BARE WALLS AND CLEAR FLOOR
HE TOOK SEVERAL DEEP BREATHS
OF ALL THAT SPACE AND SILENCE
CLOSED HIS EYES
HE KNEW ALL THE CRAP WAS LESS THAN TWENTY FEET AWAY
IN PILES OUTSIDE
READY FOR RAIN AND SUN
DUST AND DEGENERATION
BUT INSIDE
HE WAS CLEAR
THE NEXT DAY
HIS BODY ACHED
BUT HIS MIND SMILED
HIS PARTNER
THE VOICE OF REASON
WANTED SOME OF THE STUFF BACK INSIDE
HE WANTED AT LEAST A MONTH OR WEEK
WITHOUT ALL THE JUNK
SEE HOW IT WOULD BE
BUT
HE HAD LEARNED TO LISTEN CAREFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY
TO THE VOICE OF REASON
THEY AGREED TO
AT FIRST
ONLY BRING BACK IN
WHAT THEY NEEDED
BEDS CAME BACK IN
THE DINING TABLE
THE REST REMAINED OUTSIDE UNDER A TARP
AS MUCH AS SHE WANTED IT ALL BACK
AND FOR HIM NOT TO BE SO
SPONTANEOUS AND CAVALIER WITH THEIR STUFF
SHE ENJOYED THE CLUTTER FREE DAYS AS MUCH AS HE
DONATIONS WERE MADE
GARAGE SALES HAD
SHELVES CAME BACK IN
BUT ONLY PRECIOUS THINGS WERE ALLOWED ON THEIR PLANKS
AND PRECIOUS THINGS WERE FEW
THE REST WENT AWAY SOMEHOW
EVERY TIME THEY WENT SOMEWHERE
THEY TOOK SOME OF THEIR STUFF WITH THEM
AND LEFT IT GAVE IT TOSSED IT
THEY HAD SPENT SO MUCH TIME FILLING UP
NOW WAS A CASTING OFF TIME
SHE HAD EVEN LOST WEIGHT
HE WAS LOOKING TRIMMER
AND HE WAS SMILING ALL THE TIME NOW
THERE WAS MUCH SEX NOW
VERY PASSIONATE NIGHTS
THEIR BEDROOM HAD CLEARED
ONLY THE BED REMAINED
AND WHAT TO DO UPON IT
SOME OF THE SHELVES HAD TO GO
THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO FILL THEM
AT THE START OF THE JETTISON
HE THOUGHT OF THE MONEY HE HAD SPENT ON ALL THIS STUFF
HE WANTED TO SELL EVERY ITEM
GET HIS MONEY BACK
BUT DIDNT
ONCE HE GOT GOING
THE ITEMS
THE MONEY JUST FLEW AWAY
AND HE DIDNT CARE
HE HAD SPACE
CLARITY
EMPTINESS
HE DIDNT REALIZE HOW MUCH MORE HE VALUED THE EMPTINESS
OVER THE CASH SPENT ON THE CLUTTER
THEY AVOIDED STORES
RESTAURANTS
THOSE PLACES BECAME IRRELEVANT
NOW THAT THEIR PLACE WAS BECOMING
THE PLACE THEY HAD ALWAYS WANTED
NOT A MANSION
BUT JUST
CLEAR
HE FOLDED UP THE TARP
THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO COVER OUTSIDE
A YEAR LATER
HE PUT THE TARP OUT BY THE CURB
SOMEONE WOULD NEED IT TAKE IT USE IT
HE WENT BACK INSIDE
THERE WAS NO TV BLARING
NO VIDEO GAMES PINGING
JUST SILENCE
A BREEZE
SUN GLOWING THROUGH THE SHEER CURTAINED WINDOWS
HE SAT AT THE TABLE
AND HAD A SNACK WITH THE CHILDREN
