Inspired by Anthony’s work and to a lesser extent by the poem he originally read, I submit for your perusal:
Thirteen Ways of Looking at My Living Room
I
Seating for five,
Six if two are good friends
This is the living room.
II
The bookshelves rest against the walls
Like trees that have been cut down
Shaped by machines
And forced to support their pulped and pressed fallen comrades
III
The fireplace logs are tapered
They pretend a depth that does not exist
Whose idea was that, anyway?
IV
We never got around
To staining the blanket box
Food was more important at the time
V
Pale blue walls
Dark green curtains
Perhaps
The previous owner was colour blind?
VI
Until today, five stalks of bamboo
Then one of them withered
It’s probably not symbolic
VII
Several of the floor boards have
A great variation in colour from
One end to the other. Do oak trees
Have no quality control?
VIII
Library books stacked on the piano cause
A sudden feeling of dismay
“Are you overdue?â€
IX
Planter on the windowsill
Dried and dusty reminder
Of the mortality of oregano
X
Yellow red brown
Green white blue
Blue orange red
Ludwig Gerstacker
XI
The intricate texture of the ceiling makes me hope
That we never have to patch it
XII
Green IKEA boxes built of
Paper
Two more CDs and we’ll need to buy some more
XIII
The dancing of dust bunnies in the gentle breezes
Makes me wish for central vac