The Laundry

The laundry is piled up so high

That I cannot see the floor.

Luckily, it’s clean.

But what use is clean laundry

When you cannot find what you need?

Where is my pumping bra?

Where are my cozy pants?

I must search and search.

I need them desperately.

Now the laundry is like a colony of sea otters basking in the sun.

It’s spread out across my dining room floor.

It’s just millimeters away from day old fallen parmesan cheese flecks.

And I am too tired to pile it back up.

Or fold it.

Or put it away.

After all, there’s no room for it in the dresser anyway.

Such is life!

So I must leave it for tomorrow.

And tomorrow after that.

And two tomorrows later.

When the pile is smaller

But seemingly less clean.

And when the not-clean pile is getting higher.

So high that I cannot see the floor.

That is when I know

It’s time to dig a little deeper.

It’s time to take charge of my problems.

It’s time to stand up for what’s right in this life.

And move the clean laundry to a better place.

Such as the couch.

4 responses to “The Laundry”

  1. Thank you for sharing this. I love your humorous take on a serious situation. I currently have a laundry basket full of clean laundry that I just can’t seem to find the energy to fold and put away. Maybe tomorrow!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. DontBotherOrtizMe Avatar
    DontBotherOrtizMe

    This is giving Shel Silverstein vibes and I LOVE IT
    Laundry is my greatest foe. My Favorite Disgust.
    You’ve given such imagery here that I feel like I can see into your space (in a non-creepy, wondering if your laundry is really touching the cheese type way).
    Thank you for sharing this, and Good Luck tackling Laundry Mountain!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I was also going to comment on the Shel Silverstein vibes throughout this piece. Not only is it funny, it’s so relatable! I appreciate the shift from clean pile to dirty pile, and I think I have the cousins of your old parmesan cheese flecks living somewhere on my kitchen floor, too. Loved this poem!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I can totally relate to this, Jenna!
    There. Is. So. Much. Laundry. To. Do.
    These lines were so excellent:
    “Now the laundry is like a colony of sea otters basking in the sun.

    It’s spread out across my dining room floor.

    It’s just millimeters away from day old fallen parmesan cheese flecks.

    And I am too tired to pile it back up.”

    I did three loads of laundry before I left the house yesterday morning. It was all bedding and towels. I thought I was done for a few days. But lo and behold, my son got tomato sauce ALL OVER his pjs at dinnertime. So, in went another wash. (This is why I affectionately call myself the Laundress. It’s never-ending!)

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