THE SCOURGE

 

Yesterday I burned a pot black,

 while steaming beets.

 

All the red-juiced water evaporated

when I wasn’t looking.

 

Was burned into thin air, leaving

the cookware scorched to a crisp.

 

I took steal wool

to the pot’s bottom

 

and scrubbed

my little heart out.

 

I did this on the day

the election results came in.

 

I scrubbed as hard as I could

to remove the scourge for good.