Corduroy Childhood

This is a poem about a chair my family used to own, of which I as an infant was quite fond.

You are sitting in an overstuffed armchair.

The upholstery looks something

like dark green corduroy;

I’m not sure what I was thinking

when I bought it.

But it’s brand new,

and I have to admit

it’s comfortable as Hell, and I got it pretty cheap.

You seem to like it well enough, anyways.

You’ve fallen asleep in it

more times than you have

in your own crib.

Your mom and I take pictures

of you and your brother

sleeping side by side

Something tells us we’ll need the memories some day.

You are sitting in an overstuffed armchair.

The upholstery looks something

like dark green corduroy;

except in the middle

where it sags a little,

which has turned “something-something-sea foam”?

I don’t know, that’s what your mom said, anyways.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve spent the past few days

thinking about you and the chair.

Yeah, it’s a little worn,

but we still have it, you know.

Do you remember it?

You haven’t been back in a while.

Back home, I mean, but back there, too,

to that green chair kind of time, I guess, do you know what I mean?

You are thinking about an overstuffed armchair.

The upholstery looked something

like dark green corduroy;

except that the cushion holds the shape

of ten-thousand asses,

You wonder if your a*s is one of them

Or if the chair has forgotten you, as dumb as that sounds.

               You’re standing in front of a chair.

               Honestly, it could be any chair,

               But it’s a time-bleached,

green corduroy chair, $18 at a yard-sale,

and you know it can’t be the same one

but part of you believes it is.

So you buy it, take it home, and put it back where it belongs.

You’re baby girl is sitting in an overstuffed armchair.

The upholstery looks something

like dark green corduroy;

You’re not sure where your mind was

when you bought it.

But it’s yours again,

yours and your little girl’s.

This picture is worth ten thousand times what you payed.