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Chlora's Peanuts

© 2000 Ginger Henry Geyer
Glazed porcelain, 7 ¾" x 7 ¼" diameter
Adaptation of Peter Bruegel's Parable of the Blind, 1568.

Chlora went on an elephant hunt,
leaving a trail of peanuts
through the living room.
The parade was coming around again
because the teacups were trembling.
A big new thing was breaking in but all faces were blank
          while the lamps crashed to the floor,
          the knick-knacks toppled over,
          the piano keys clanged,
          and doilies curled from an odor
          beyond the help of pot-pourri.

She knew about wholes and their parts,
that some folks weren't bad but were blind,
and couldn't see when the sofa got crunched
and the peanuts vacuumed up.
They couldn't hear when the curtains ripped
and the glass broke,
     and out front a stretched voice rasped,
          "Forgive them, for they know
            not what they do."

Chlora was no Dumbo.
She knew it took more than a feather-duster of belief.
When she grew up she would be an interior decorator,
          raise the ceiling, add recessed lighting,
               and rearrange all the furniture
               to face the picture window.