Ruth Lehrer is the author of the young adult novel, BEING FISHKILL (Candlewick.) She is a Pushcart nominated poet, with poems scattered through the web and woods. A Strawdog member, she lives in the Hampshire country hilltowns. Her website is ruthlehrer.com.
What day is it
is the word of the day
We say it over and over as if it matters
As if the name the word will tell us
our future futures
or the day of our death
I’d like to see the spattered underside
of that name we pick, Wednesday
backstopped with a red wool plaid
Tuesday lined with a smatter of feathers
I suppose we should be looking to
the sun for guidance but it’s not
working out as a solution to
dark rooms with dark days
and snow on the sky light
on a Thursday
Days used to have numbers
maybe we should start counting again
since who knows maybe
numbers too will cease soon.