Zipped

I wouldn’t call it a secret 
I just haven’t 
told many people 

it’s a mosquito 
buzzing around my head 
as Joni Mitchell sings 
about a radio 
over the smooth white noise 
of my sewing machine 

and it’s twisting around 
to whisper in my ear 
as I turn  
this turquoise pouch 
right side out 

but my eye chose  
this bright fabric 
my hand trimmed  
and guided this teal thread 
through the chrome needle 
my bare foot 
controls this pedal 

so when Joni reaches 
the final chorus 
asking him  
to call her at the station 
one last time 

I’ve already stitched  
the lining shut 
and closed it off  
in one soft snick 
of my impeccably matched 
striped zipper 

the silver pull 
gives a little shimmy 
in the air conditioner’s 
breath 

MADELEINE FRENCH

Madeleine French lives in Florida and Virginia. If she’s not writing, she’s shuffling projects among seven different sewing machines. Her work appears or is forthcoming in The Madrigal, Quartet, Black Fork Review, Paddler Press, West Trade Review, Schuylkill Valley Journal, and elsewhere. You can find her on Twitter @maddiethinks.