Laundry Mat Zen

Some of the machines are running
but you are the only person in the room.

The sounds are oddly soothing, regular,
the constant turning, buttons clicking.

You are here with the unwashed
because at home, things are broken

and at times you run out of the basics.
Jeans. Underwear. Flannel shirts.

Outside, it is snowing. Not a lot.
Just enough to coat the limbs.

You have work to do, but perhaps
it is good to not be doing it.

At times, you need to walk away
from all the responsibilities and stop

doing.

At my age, time has a different meaning.
There is less of it. Each drop is more precious

and you want what is left to matter.
Time becomes a decision.

Part of that is looking back and seeing
what already has.

The zen needed to cut through the noise
has become harder to claim. Never mind

your good habits of prayer and meditation
and waiting for poems.

Oceans are your haven.
The narrow alleyways of Venice are your heaven.

but they are not always available.
Sometimes you find yourself at the laundromat

because things are broken at home.
and life has to get done. If God is good,

then you get a day like today, machines running
and no one in the place but yourself

and your mysterious God. Sorting socks
and stories. A bit of folding and order

with no one telling you how or what
or anything that matters.

A warm tumbling of clothes and ideas,
and the time, that oh so rare time,

to sort them all out.

About this poem.

My dryer has been broken for the past few weeks. Theoretically, they will come fix it next Friday. I took the picture while sitting at one end, notebook in hand, thinking there was a poem in the picture. It turns out there was, though it did not come till later.

A poem about unexpected zen. About my own time of sorting out life, about the unexpected value of waiting, or, just about being at the laundromat. Poetry is never about one thing.

Be well. Travel wisely,

Tom

Added later: A reader asked if they could purchase a print of the photograph. I sell prints of my photographs and artwork on Fine Art America. Here is the link to this one: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/laundromat-tom-atkins.html.