Laundry Lines—Jen Rose Yokel

"like fine art upon the walls, stories hung in precious threads."

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Jen Rose Yokel is a poet, writer, and spiritual director. Her words have appeared at The Rabbit Room, She Reads Truth, and other publications, and she is the author of two poetry collections. She is also the co-founder of The Poetry Pub, an online community for poets. Originally from Central Florida, she now makes her home in Fall River, Massachusetts with her poet/professor husband Chris, their rescue dog, and an assortment of books and houseplants. Her latest book, Beneath the Flood, is available now from Bandersnatch Books. You can find her on Substack at Alongside Journal or on Instagram @jroseyokel.

Laundry Lines

She taught me to tightly
pin clothes to the line—
shirts from the bottom
so they won’t stretch,
sheets in half, long-wise,
so they won’t drag in the dirt,
jeans on each end of the line
so it won’t sag
and drag hems in the sand.

And if the rains came
she’d gather the cotton in her arms and
rush inside
to spread it on hangers
like fine art upon the walls,
stories hung in precious threads.

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Photo by Delaney Turner on Unsplash