BOILED CLOTHES
Her washing machine
hooked to her sink in
her kitchen; had a long
hose hanging from a
faucet –
The water entered a basket
connected to the side of
her machine, and a second
hose emptied dirty water
into a porcelain tub.
A wringer higher on the
washing machine must
be hand cranked, so she
stands and twists dirty
laundry over and over
again – water dripping
into a porcelain tub.
She twists and holds them
up - inspects for stains.
Clean clothes receive a
gentle swing – other’s
tossed into another
tub, with chips along its
side.
On the stove in her kitchen
a copper kettle filled with
water, boiled And she
watches as those bad clothes
with stains, boiled in a pot
or water. . .
And back to her machine,
her hands twisting cloth,
a gentle shake – clean.
I wanted to clap, she did
It, and it took all day, and
every other day – her pot
boiled on her stove.
Nancy Duci Denofio
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