Laundry List

“The ordinary acts we practice every day
at home are of more importance to the soul
than their simplicity might suggest.”

—St. Thomas More

Shake out doubt.
Sliced mustard seeds
gather in creases of what you believed,
once. Find them. Remember the feel
of soft, the soap-smell of calm,
and smooth the fabric ridges.

Claim denim and flannel as rosary,
then fold and refold both
like church bulletins.
Remember to separate
thick from thin, light
from dark, whole
from holey.

Discard completely
the permanently stained, but save
for next week’s pre-wash treatment
your favorite ways to wear
the dirt you’re drawn to
even on wash day,
even mid-cycle of such
necessary ritual cleansings.
Put everything away
in its own neat compartment.
Pray for what you’ve done—
the diligently muddied, the scrubbed—
and left undone—wine on the sheets,
under-the-bed socks.
Most importantly, rinse and—
even when it resembles chore—
repeat.