Poetry Train Monday - 172 - The Things That Aren't Things

This poem was written during the 3:15 Experiment in August.




















The Things That Aren't Things


Things in my room
Castles and Palaces of Europe
Schloss Neushwanstein cookie tin
A red McFarlane dragon figurine
With its crystal ball in its talons

Things in my room
A framed collage of The Arts, signed by the photographer
A framed Taming of the Shrew ballet poster signed by the featured dancer
A dry-mounted poster for my 4th year film screening, including 'Exposed Film' tape to secure the date & time of screening

Things in my room
A pile of photocopied pictures featuring the actor-muses for my fictional heroes from last year's writing retreat
The 'Bravo!' card featuring a single pink rose that Brad gave me when I finished my very first NaNoWriMo
A pile of paperbacks written by fellow members of my writer's group

Things in my room
Two pairs of slippers, one fuschia, one black
An outdated computer tower & monitor
A pile of my dog's stuffed toys she's stashed under the bureau

Things in my room
A pile of programs from special National Ballet of Canada performances
An old cassette tape of my dad talking
Two spiral notebooks containing family stories I've collected

Things in my room


© Julia Smith, Aug. 22, 2010

For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!

My Tins Collection

Ever since I was a little girl, I've been quite taken by tins. My mom used to keep all her loose buttons in a blue cookie tin that had a scene of a Mediterranean road on it, going past a house and cypress trees. Pretty much like this photo.

I would sit and stare at the scene on the cookie tin lid, and make up stories that I told out loud to my dolls, all lined up to hear my tales. I can't remember what the stories were about, other than they involved the main character starting down that road pictured on the tin.

My mom also had a royal blue tin with pastoral shepherds and shepherdesses on it, where she kept her rice. I loved that tin.

Once I was an adult, I found myself buying items just for the tin they came in. And sometimes I would even buy an antique tin if I was lucky enough to find one. Here are a few of my favorite tins from my collection. I've got a whole Christmas selection of tins, but I'll save those for next holiday season.


- 1


- 2












- 3
















- 4


- 5


- 6


- 7












- 8
















- 9












- 10
















- 11


- 12


- 13