Do you want to see all the beads and buttons I’ve found?
Yes, I do want to see them.
Crystal, glass, pony, seed,
fake pearl, plastic gold—
maybe they were part of broken bracelets,
or a necklace never strung, the thread
fallen away like a cut lock of hair.
Maybe they were loosely sewn
to a lady's shirt—an old, old lady,
as old as me, lost before you were born.
Looking closely, you find them
in the carpet, along baseboards,
glints of color in the dust.
Paying attention to what is easy to miss,
but that you don't miss, not you, not yet.
Featured image by freepik
Renee Emerson is a homeschooling mom of five who can usually be found at the library, on a nature walk, or reading Tolstoy.
She is the author of three collections of poetry, the most recent of which is Church Ladies (Fernwood Press 2023), and the middle-grade novel Why Silas Miller Must Learn to Ride a Bike.
For her book reviews for the whole family, check out her monthly Renee's Book Bag on Substack.
She is the author of three collections of poetry, the most recent of which is Church Ladies (Fernwood Press 2023), and the middle-grade novel Why Silas Miller Must Learn to Ride a Bike.
For her book reviews for the whole family, check out her monthly Renee's Book Bag on Substack.
Latest posts by Renee Emerson (see all)
- Two Poems for Summer - June 11, 2025
- Review: Between Flowers and Bones by Carolyn Leiloglou - November 25, 2024
- Beads and Buttons: A Poem - August 14, 2024
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