A student brought back from Morocco
A purse I could take where I ought to
A very nice gift – and pretty to see
But then, it began to get heavy…
  “The purse isn’t heavy – that’s not the blame
It’s what you put in it” she said
But I just put in the regular stuff
Nedjma laughed, and just shook her head.

So, I took a look…

                               ~

Twenty-one pens to write my name
Three pencils and glue
Five chap creams and one lipstick
Six stray cough drops too

Piano book of exercises
Bach piece I can’t play
A bottle of water, a library book
A can of germ-free spray

One Bot-tle of Tylenol
An inhaler too
Some hard candy and a lollypop
Two nails and a screw

Sun and reading glasses
Two granola bars
Hand cream, sun block (just in case)
Picks for my guitar

Scotch tape,scissors, stickers too
Unpaid bills and a ‘postage due’
Half written letter an’ a magazine
Peanut crackers and a tangerine

Twenty-seven Kleenix n’ a roll of Tums
Deposit slips and corn bread crumbs
Wallet, keys and business cards
Flip cell phone and time to pause…

                                ~

She was right – I can’t complain
But it will only get worse…
She laughed again and then she said
   “It’s why I picked THAT purse!”