80spoems/plain

PLAIN

I walk around barefoot,
because today it is necessary
to know exactly who I am,
my relative scale to things.
I cannot endure the delusion
of high heels, which tempt me
into believing I am taller
and stronger than I am.

Today my eyes graze the bottoms
of things, there will be less
requirement than ever to worry
about dust in high places.
The refrigerator top and door
frames rest easy in unthreatened
neglect.

I want to write the word plain
in bold letters across the wall.
I see my hands weeding,
slipping about knowledgeably
in tepid dishwater.

The leaves remind me of wind.
Dirt. Water. Air.
I think of mountain tops
with a gawky stand of trees,
and other comfortable places.