Cleaning Out the Closet

Greeting cards and broken toys And yo-yos missing strings Were among the items ditched With lots of other things. Marble notebooks filled with math, A horn that lost its toot; Bags and bags of memories All tossed right down the chute. I’d emptied out the closet For emergency repair. It seemed the perfect time to whittle What’s been waiting there. Costumes, masks and crushed up hats From years and years ago; Magnets, pistols, doctors’ kits And whistles that won’t blow. Dusty dolls and lesson plans, Cassettes with ripped-up tape; So much stuff so nice when new But now in sorry shape. Finally I called it quits, The salvaged goods all packed Until they multiply Then once again, I will subtract!