Doing the Dishes
by AnneMarie Miles
Sometimes I cry when I do the dishes
because the dirt comes right off
and I wish it was that easy.
Soap suds all you need for a clean slate
maybe that’s why I shower so much
the heat on high in the summer
my skin sore red I don’t recognize it
and I’m finally seeing myself
I’m just like her and it won’t come off.
There’s no connection like a sponge and pasta sauce.
They just work and I want that.
Shiny and shimmery and you’d never know I splurged
on penne and frozen meatballs with canned marinara,
garlic and basil
the empty feeling in the pit of my stomach
that will stay there.
Sometimes the dishwasher leaves red on my plastic
for once somebody gets me
everyone hates a clean dish that’s stained.
About the Author
AnneMarie Miles studied psychology at CSULB and Notre Dame de Namur University but is currently pursuing her passion for creative writing. She is a full-time mom living with her husband, daughter, and pitbull in Santa Cruz, Ca. AnneMarie finds joy in other crafts like jewelry making, cooking, and running.