Broom
[After ‘Waltzer 2007’ by Susan Collis, mixed media]
There’s a broom in the corner of the gallery,
Propped on one leg, keeping its head down.
You might miss it. Stick with it.
Work-worn wood, and that stiff little voice
Whispers ‘this’, ‘this’, chasing after kitchens.
Careless peelings. Angry plates.
Paint. Repaint. Handling dots and splashes,
Splinter jags, a woman’s work is never, and again,
It sets the floor to rights.
It’s art. The flecks are diamond, turquoise, pearls,
A rift in the cheap shaft healed with gold.
Stick with it. You might miss it.
Kirsten Luckins is a poet and performer. Her first solo show, The Moon Cannot Be Stolen, was runner-up in the Saboteur Awards 2014 for Best Spoken Word Show. In the same year she was a finalist in the BBC Slam. She is north-east programme co-ordinator for Apples and Snakes. @ImeldaSays www.kirstenluckins.wordpress.com