max

there are rough edges
next
to polished ones
rough things unattended
unattending
not worth much
except attention by
the way
of splinters
on the fleshy parts of fingers
or maybe
with greater pain
underneath
nails

we sand these away
work them over with varnish
and right angles
taking them
down
using nail guns
then attaching labels
with squiggly squares
(QR?)
promising of prices

and that’s wood
but it applies to fabric
too
and even bricks
so many things
in fact
in order
(and ordering)
to have a smooth
and gilt
world

without rough
except for sex sometimes
which in the morning
is forgotten
over
coffee
served with euphemistic language

and we shop
and look for
the next smooth things
to wear

c l couch


(not advocating hair-shirts at all—only a thought about rough edges, say, on trees)

photo by Lili Kovac on Unsplash