Celebrating National Poetry Month: #4: Familiar Phrases

Familiar Phrases

"For crying out loud" has a familiar ring.
As pans banged on the stove
Mother's wonderings arose above the whir of the washer.
Did you lick those beaters and put them back in the dough?
Did you sterilize that needle before removing that sliver?
Did you wipe your boots before walking on these floors?
Did you spray the huckleberry stains on your new shirt?

"Better safe than sorry" is the warning
that clacks around in my head.
Don't get close to the cliff…you might fall off,
Go gargle with salt water... you may lose your voice,
Spin slowly so you don't end up sick,
Cradle your sister's head when you pick her up.

Around the corner by the orchard my car
left the snowy road
spinning around to again face north.
Her voice was a whisper I heard in my ear,
" Don't ever drive when the roads are slick."

by inlandempiregirl