Tag Archives: Kerry O’Connor

Mama Needs a Brand-New Bag (a barlette*)

Reached deep in paisley purse
Pulled out six feet of handsome man
(Must’ve been Mary Poppins’ old bag)

Cleaned him up, schooled him on manners
Hoped he’d make good decisions
(Naïve, but her heart was in the right place)

Purse hung on door knob
They coupled and created new life
(It’s easy – leave The Pill on the shelf)

From the depths of her own inner purse
Emerged the most precious gift
(She’s still giving)

Man tired of being lugged around
Purse too heavy for both dad and baby
(Women have lots of baggage)

Baby grew too big for bag’s confines
Dad grew too big to carry
(Was he used to being the only child?)

Now purse is set aside in favor of
concentrating on contents, now a 5’9” woman
(How she once fit in that purse, I dunno)

© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil

* The barlette is my own form: Three-line stanzas; the final line is in parentheses and usually comments on the first two lines. Subject matter, rhyme or free verse, syllable count… none of that matters at all! It’s my nonconformist form. (“Barlette” is taken from my middle name, “Barlow.”)

For Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, where dedicated, prolific poet Mary Kling is taking a leave of absence after months and months of wonderful prompts. The new doyen of Mixed Bag Friday, the incomparable Kerry O’Connor, asked us to identify two items in our real, imagined, or psychic purses. Her use of an actual bag/purse put a fun twist on what is normally a free-for-all. Mary, thank you for your efforts; Kerry, welcome to the fray!

Also at my poetic luxuries shop, Poets United. Peace and beaded bags, Amy

Posted by Sharp Little Pencil in POETRY Tags: Babies, Barlette, Kerry O'Connor, Marriage, Mary Kling, Poets United, Priorities, Purses, Real Toads, responsibility