on wallpaper

Story ID:	1039
Written by:	Kathe M. Campbell
Story type:	Poem
Location:	broken tree ranch montana usa
Year:	2002
Person:	kath

on wallpaper
by kathe campbell

burgundies 'n greens, thought i would die,
that fancy wallpaper done caught my eye.

will jazz up the bath with country plaid,
the purtiest squared pattern i'd ever had.

i'll spring for the rolls, maybe one or two,
am i biting off more than i can chew?

but on second thought, four i'll take,
will screw something up for pitty sake.

pulling off the old, 'twas shoddy and worn,
had lingered there since the lodge was born.

best read the fine print or sorry i'll become,
how it all works, whence, how, and from.

measure sticks, pens, and cutters i'll find,
and line 'em all up, a heap of each kind.

screwdriver turns, hardware comes down,
i'm grabbin' the lamps, safe and sound.

fire up more tools, take down the mold,
a big ugly crack, it's sure gettin' old.

cutting and snipping, watchin' my thumb,
holding tools tight, my fingers grow numb.

plug up the shower, for water i'll share,
to soak up the paper, plaid and square.

not too much now to bring out the paste,
hang it up quick, i don't cotton to waste.

unrolling and stretching across the room,
i'll greet the tomorrow, stiff as a broom.

gauging and marking, i'm having a ball,
fetch the ladder girl, yer not that tall.

behind the cold terlit, squeezing i set,
paper's gone dry, gotta spit 'til it's wet.

smoothing it down, i don't want a crush,
work and pat with my soft bristle brush.

standing away to admire what i've done,
dammit all, kath, methinks you have won.

the best one-armed paper hanger or what?
but i'm thinkin' i forgot to mention that.