must be done between now
and bedtime. I will stand on ladders
to touch the ceiling with one color
(important that everywhere be exactly the same),
I will stand on my windowsill, like the statue
of a strange god set out as a totem
over this winter street,
and I will wipe up wet paint, even
just the barest drips, from the pane
lest they dry and mar my view
of the river, even if just slightly,
forever. I will up the dust
and all the scraps and offal of my chores.
Now that I have pushed it all
(tables, mismatched chairs) to the center of the room,
I will seek perfection in every corner today.
Mark Aiello
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