Categories: a Collective List of Things

things that are never where they should be

things that always go wrong

things that usually go right

things that make me uncomfortable

things I carry

things I no longer buy

things I look forward to

things sisters say

things I’m proud of

things I regret

things I’ve forgiven myself for

things birds can see

things cows say to each other in the pasture

things I fail to notice everyday

things that go askew over time, like old barns and houses

things that disappear

things that calm me

things that make me nervous

things I’ve broken and things that have broken me

things that inspire me

things that enrage me

things that have happened to me in dreams

things I’d like to throw at people

things to look for in the night sky

things I want to hide

things I’d like to change

things I remember about my father

things my mother told me, like “watch out for soldiers hanging out near the movie theater,” and “polio.”

things I never thought would happen to me

things I gave away and wish I had kept, like my poodle skirt with a doggie wearing a rhinestone collar

things I don’t like about myself

things I will miss

things I thought were funny but nobody else saw the humor

things I wish I never said

things that have shaped me into the person I am today

things my grandmother used to say

things I used to know

things I am still learning

things that are a waste of time, energy, money

things that start with the letter U, like ululation, uvea, ubiquitous, unctuous, and underwear

things that mean the most to me

things I do for love

things I crave that are not good for me

things that chatter

things that need oiling

things that are wrong with my aging body/ with my mind

things I love about today

things I don’t need to worry about

things I want to do before it’s too late

things that remind me of other things

things that run amuck

things that refuse to decompose

things that elude me in casual conversation

things I thought I had to have

things I won’t do until I properly know how to do them

things that scream “I hurt” (that I ignore)

things that move me and subtly shift my day

things I know and wish I didn’t

things that get under my skin, like Spectrum

things I wore when I was hoping to disappear

things I’ve lied about

things I will never ever get around to doing

things that baffle me

things that don’t deserve the good reputation they have

things that make me want to jump up and down and scream “Are you out of your mind?”

things that make me want to stop and look around

things I’ve forgotten about in the back of the refrigerator

things I do that embarrass my children

things I wore in high school

things in boxes that I packed and have never opened

things I took to help me sleep

things in my backyard

things I wrote about in my diary

things I learned from watching “Happy Days” on TV

things my sister borrowed and never returned

things I learned not to do from watching my parents

things I wish I had told my father

things I have never, ever said out loud

things that used to seem important to me but no longer do

things about myself I've never told anyone

things I should have thought of sooner

things that are black and white

things that can't be explained

things my handwriting reveals

things that cats imagine

things that make sense later

things I wish I understood

things that are easier when you're old

things I wish my mother had told me

things that weigh heavily on my heart

things I should have packed

things I packed that I didn't need

things I’ll never forget

things that are soft and flabby

things I put away in a safe location and now I can’t remember where that is

things people have told me in secret

things I’ve revealed that I promised to keep secret

things that don’t feel worthy of being included in a haiku

things I have to learn over and over again

things that feel like epiphanies but then I’m reminded that I’ve had the same insight at least half a dozen times before




Thank you to all these contributors:

Annie Wexler
Barbara Anger
Barbara Cartwright
Heather Boob
Linda Keeler
Marty Blue Waters
Mary Louise Church
Nancy Osborn
Rob Sullivan
Sara Robbins
Sue Crowley
Susan Lesser 
Susanna Drbal
Yvonne Fisher
Zee Zahava