The Maid and the World Globe

The Maid and the World Globe

 

It was a split foyer and on the banister,
at the top of the steps leading down,
sat an old globe.
It was the type that turned.
All day she followed the politics of gender,
the academics of her position,
on where to push the dust cloth
and when to clean the mop.
It was her job to achieve,
that top notch gleam,
of the banister as the children slid
sticky hands into the lower den.
She liked to clean the world globe,
the way it turned her Mexico, into a small spot,
the way it made the world belong to her
in oceans and colors that she could clean
and say she had been there.
She scrubbed Italy and France,
and flirted a caress in a cloth across Africa.
She lingered in English oil and dipped
into the oceans that framed the world with water.
Sometimes she held the world, roughly, in her hands
so that it understood its position, so that it knew
it was not so large as it might imagine.
Each day before breakfast, she spun the world,
and let it settle slowly at its own pace.
On those days she left her mind set,
and lounged in that place.

Reviews

[W.k.kortas]

Such a seemingly simple little metaphor, and yet there it is--us, the world, and the universe, all wrapped together tightly and with enviable skill. As the wise Ed says, the art and the story work together in what looks sheer effortlessness, and we know what an effort that is.

[Terry Collett]

This is a clever work of poetry. I am impressed by it. It takes a small aspect of a woman's life and creates fine art from it.

These lines are spot on:

Each day before breakfast, she spun the world,
and let it settle slowly at its own pace.
On those days she left her mind set,
and lounged in that place.

[cest la vie]

Oh my...

Such a rich poem, Phibby...so very rich with life...

[Tracie Skarbo]

What a wonderful way to spend the day...great job!

[Una Xoto]

this is a lovely piece. A fine metaphor stunning in its simplicity...but within like an onion...layers. Beautiful work

[Charles]

The poem as a metapor - none better than this one. Nice, tight theme that draws the reader into the mystery of life as seen through the eyes of this Mexican woman. I like this one a lot.

[Collect-Eye]

It never ceases to amaze me, beyond just your obvious individual skill, how different writers have their own unique and intimate way of being profound.
It pushes me to new levels of thought and expression even if I never abandon my style or try to adopt yours, or anyone else's.
This reads magically and flawlessly, from the top of the banister to the end of the spin. The only thing that would make this moment better is coffee. That reminds I'm late for my coffee date w/ my friend Earl. Guess the moment will have to linger.

[Ed Hart]

The art of knowing where to begin and end, where to break the line, and how to keep the words flowing and revealing, well that is the art, isn't it. Just watching you handle the "art of it" is for me equal to the story you tell...Ed