Summer Schedule
by Mimi Vaquer

My ninth gym membership is pristine,

unused, perfect for resale.

I wore the uniform:

shorts, racer-back bra, mesh curved shoes,

for a dismal flex in the mirror.

 

I even bought the paints

and a fine plastic pallet for a buck ninety-nine.

Three brushes would do for a pack

of six card-backed canvasses that need

no grand idea to get started.

 

I followed with 6000 words click ticking on the keys

for two eager days.

An outline, time line, conga line,

two solid chapters of a novel idea

that wins the Pulitzer Prize of My Documents. 

 

And now a half-sewn bodice

hangs nicely from my shoulders,

if I take care not to stick myself

with the color-balled pins

that have rusted into the fabric. 

 

From a dusty grave of false starts,

I do find pride in the installation piece

of finely extinguished butts

that salute me from the ashtray.

 

MIMI VAQUER was born in 1974 in Savannah, GA. She is an 8th grade English teacher with previous and upcoming publications in Storyglossia, decomP, Ouroboros Review, Foundling Review, and Boston Literary Magazine, among others. She also serves as the Associate Editor for Oak Bend Review.

t o p
short story short stories poem poetry fiction nonfiction non fiction flash fiction creative writing publish publisher photography