Prompt: Write a greeting. (ignored)
There comes a time in a girls life
when she realises she
needs to buy more Tupperware
Too many things to keep precious
too many things to squeeze lids on
in case they forget how loved they are
in case they molt, wilt,
grow wet with poison or shame
grow wet with anger,
mild or unchecked
In case the counting of toes
is not enough to end the day
in case the piggies went to market
or a movie or a marathon
and never returned
more Tupperware,
more zip-locked bags and padlocks
more wrapping paper and cotton wool
more lids, crossed fingers
and meshed palms, lighting candles
counting beads in patterns,
in sequences
more lids, crossed fingers
drawing parallels
over maps, yellow markers
code referenced
date stamped
pieced together from
grainy cell phones
and shaky eye witness
there comes a time in a girls life
when she realises
the lid won’t stay closed