Folding Plastic Shopping Bags

Image by scotproof via Flickr

Washing dishes while watching another magnificent sunrise made me think of a poem I wrote several years ago. Enjoy:

 

FOLDING PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS

 

Smooth the bag

release air, release breath.

Smooth, smooth.

Breathe out and in

in and out.

Fold into a long rectangle.

Fold, fold

pause between each fold

to breath, to smooth.

Fold one corner of the bottom

up

to meet the vertical line

of the opposite side.

Create an imperfect triangle.

But perfection can be achieved

with each fold

alternating

straight up

and angled

straight up

and angled.

Find your rhythm.

Find your breath.

Up

and angled.

Up

and angled.

You reach the top

an untidy mess of leftover plastic handles.

Find an opening

tuck them in

and smooth away the lumps.

A perfect triangle,

compact and ready to store.

Holding inside it

the calmness of its creation.

The serenity continues

as you take another breath

and begin again.

 

 

 

 

 

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