Non-Essential (What Can You Contribute?)
by Heather Knowles
this pantry needs beefing up
I am grocery shopping like a professional
what I can do outside of this home
no longer allowed nor necessary
no one cares about grammar
during a pandemic
all that matters
can you breathe
can I feed you
I am good at holding people
close pushing away
pain expressing
art I can talk about old
west outlaws and midcentury
misogynists comic book
heroes and Nancy Drew
clues but who
needs to know the difference
between a Picasso and a Pollock
in the midst of mayhem
I’m offering all I have
—-
Heather Knowles is a writer, performance poet, and founder of the (20 years and still running) Des Moines Poetry Slam. Her latest book, Jesse James, Johnny Cash, and Other Lovers is available online.