china plates remember her face
 
sealed 
in his solid oak hutch
brittle remnants of a divorce
 
Royal Albert cups and saucers 
huddle and whisper
 
not of his secrets 
new furniture 
instead of child support,
a freezer door padlocked
against hungry teenagers,
or a bathroom door closed quietly 
on the way to bed—
after seeing his youngest, 
twelve, asleep in the tub, 
shallow waters 
cooling
 
instead    
of tables once set for the holidays,
a family portrait, faded, on the wall,
that antique chair
 
 
 
a toast
 
I look at your newly landscaped front yard, 
remodeled kitchen,
new furniture here and there,
vertical blinds— with an oak trimmed valance 
no less,
and  remember your personal ads in the Morning Star 
not 5 months after our separation 
 
I’m happy for you,
really 
 
after all these years you’ve found a woman 
who can afford your champagne tastes 
 
so dear, when I toast you with cider 
and toss the flute 
against my make-believe fireplace 
 
don’t worry 
 
my glasses are acrylic 

     Donna Hill lives in British Columbia, Canada with her three sons. She has been writing poetry since 1998, drawing much of her writing style for realism from life around her, her family, and work as a child educator. She is a part time university student earning her Batchelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing. Donna is also co-creator and poetry editor of Erosha, an online literary journal of the erotic. Her poems have appeared internationally, in such issues as Teak Round Up, One Dog Press, Poems Niederngrasse, Poetry Motel, Peshekee River Poetry, and Slipstream, and have also been published by numerous literary webzines. "My Hands Write When I Need Them To," took first prize in Comrades first annual poetry contest in the UK, and was invited into their anthology entitled, "Uno," 2002. Clean Sheets Press has published her poem, "Carolina Rain" in their latest anthology, December 2001. Donna's poetry site can be found at www.donnamichelehill.com.

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