I left our dishes on the thrift store steps,
tired of being reminded of failure
with someone now a stranger;
the things we learn too late;
what I should have done but didn’t;
memories like a harsh reprimand.
“Love” and “Happiness” etched like runes,
hand-me-downs from a time
when we were against the world,
hanging on long after your fingerprints
were washed away forever;
may they find a healthier cupboard.
©2026, Dan Schell, Flex Your Head Books