Carol Smallwood – Two Poems

What Does it Mean?

“It is what it is” a clerk replied to my comment how busy she was last week.
Has it any meaning—could it be profound wisdom—or just another cliché?
There’s something about the saying that’s mysterious, illusive, unique—
is it a passing figure of speech soon dated, already has had its heyday?

Has it any meaning—could it be profound wisdom—or just another cliché?
Maybe what it means depends on a shrug, raised eyebrow, tone, or frown.
Is it a passing figure of speech soon dated, already has had its heyday?
Most likely my curiosity about the phrase will eventually just die down.

Maybe what it means depends on a shrug, raised eyebrow, tone, or frown.
There’s something about the saying that’s mysterious, illusive, unique—
most likely my curiosity about the phrase will eventually just die down.
“It is what it is” a clerk replied to my comment how busy she was last week.

The Hovering

The Fates in Greek mythology worthy of fame are three sisters;
deities who spin, determines the length of our thread, and snips it—
images we have most likely thought about, heard their whispers
saw ourselves dangling dangerously high over a deep pit.

Deities who spin, determines the length of our thread, and snips it—
defined in other cultures as weavers of destiny on tapestry loom:
saw ourselves dangling dangerously high over a deep pit;
also there’s Macbeth’s Three Witches so popular in classroom.

Defined in other cultures as weavers of destiny on tapestry loom,
images we have most likely thought about, heard their whispers—
also there’s Macbeth’s Three Witches so popular in classroom.
The Fates in Greek mythology worthy of fame are three sisters.

Carol Smallwood edited Bringing the Arts into the Library (American Library Association, 2014) and is a National Federation of State Poetry Societies and Franklin-Christoph Poetry Contest Winner. Among her over four dozen books, Women and Poetry: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing by Successful Women Poets (Foreword by Molly Peacock) appears on the list of “Best Books for Writers” by Poets & Writers Magazine. Recent poetry collections are from WordTech Editions, and Lamar University Press.