by Sarah Burnett
feel young child feel
you mudpie feel
young child feel
feel didn’t I teach you to play with
all materials feel
feel
feel quickly moving time-will-end soon feel
you young child running there feel
down the aisles where all the toys lay scattered
in the heart of the store where you’re peeing feel
young child feel
feel there’s too many objects in your buggy feel
you’re sitting there amongst the diapers feel
feel I mean, there’s Cheerios stuck all in your hair feel
head’s rimmed with a birthday crown from apparel feel
young child feel
you next in line to potty train feel
feel you bottle feel
you bottle that keeps feeding milk
from nipple to greedy mouth feel
feel the toddlers have used you up
they all still drink in secrecy
the babies cry madly from lack of attention feel
feel you standing at the registry desk feel
just like it’s where you live feel
you crazy animals feel
feel you hovering around the desk feel
saying I swear my sister’s friend’s cousin’s nephew’s wife registered here & I want it
printed feel
feel you returner feel
you standing hunched over the counter you glaring at us
yelling about receipts you shouting over us
you really upset
you saying but my husband’s uncle’s friend’s cousin bought it here
you whipping out your cell phone to call feel
the tension in us growing
the joke being on you later
you with your see-through tights-for-pants feel
and your blue underwear visible feel
oh you the one who will raise America’s future feel
all the ways I’ll try to correct your errors feel
they’ll rebel their shoulders hunched when they’re back years later
standing where you once stood
their youth very apparent on that day
while they register & reproduce feel
because they’ll wish they were still aisle running feel
and knocking things over by your side feel
crying feel
be very patient & feel
feel
Sarah Burnett is an English major in her final semesters at YSU. Her poem was originally written as an assignment, mimicking a Native American sweathouse ritual poem. She enjoys cooking, reading and dancing in her apartment with the blinds open.