Another Day by Agnieszka Filipek

Another Day

You’re nowhere I look.
I hope you’re satisfied.
I’m dressed uncomfortably
in ironed shirt and clean pants.

The kettle’s whistling some popular
song. I’ll drink tea like an Englishman
and eat a Polish sweet roll. My mother
brought it yesterday, slightly burned.

The baker gaped at the legs of his
new one, just learning to spread,
royal icing, and buttercream too,
so everyone is getting it for free.

Streets are annoyingly busy
and Christmas is coming soon.
You’re everywhere I look.
I hope you’re happy now.

by Agnieszka Filipek, first published in Capsule Stories Winter Edition: ‘Sugar and Spice’.

Editor’s note: This poem uses the clear imagery of ordinary things to document the difficult emotional grief of breaking up.