© 2014 Marvyne Jenoff

 

Marvyne Jenoff’s books of poetry and experimental fiction have been published by Canadian literary presses and more recently by her own small company, Twoffish Press. Her writing has appeared in anthologies and literary magazines. She is also a visual artist working in watermedia and photography.

            This spring Twoffish Press brought out her chapbook of humorous personal essays, Embracing Minutiae. Her watermedia collage, “Winter Song,” is currently on exhibit in the Society of Canadian Artists Members’ Show, Etobicoke Civic Centre, Toronto, until August 27. Details at www.marvynejenoff.com.

            This poem was published in Crackerjack Umbrella, a collection of Marvyne's poems, (Twoffish Press, 2008).

 

 

The Day She Never Saw the Weather
(for Jan, 1951-1976)

That day, she never saw the weather,
nor heard her husband say
I’ve left your eggs in the frying pan.
Don’t forget to feed your animals.

She pulled on one sock under her nightgown
and, looking for the other,
nibbled a handful of spaghetti
from the fridge.

That day, she never saw
the weather friendly at the window
for, inside,

the house they were paying off was far
too large and cold,
and she was twenty-five years old,

and looking for the other sock,
chewed one by one (and didn’t read the label)
a handful of pills,

felt at her ankle
Dog’s and Cat’s mealtime affection
so they all went
into the closet to find
Teddy Bear (she was saving him all this time)
           
and the one-eyed doll
and blankets,

packed an egg-and-spaghetti picnic
in the wastebasket,
remembered the ketchup.

She gathered them all into the little yellow
Rabbit in the garage,

whatever the weather,
started the motor,

and they all
brightly
softly
fell
down.