by Michael Carosone
I will buy a Laundromat
so that
I can take the perfectly blue and green
rounded sphere which we call planet Earth
and give it a very needed cleaning.
I would love to wash the Chinese out
of Tibet, and all the other bully nations
that don’t belong. Those countries that think
they are better. Those countries that need
to feel superior. Those countries that
rape and ruin others. You know, “those” countries...
I would not use chlorine bleach.
I don’t want every thing to turn white.
Colors must be preserved.
I would wash inside out so that the
colors do not fade, and if they happen
to run, then, that’s okay.
Maybe, I will not separate.
Maybe, to save some money on the machines.
Maybe, to have peace.
Or, maybe, I will separate, but for no other
reason than wanting my white underwear
to remain white and not pink from
the dye of my red T-shirt.
I will clean the minds.
I will wash the emptiness from the
stomachs of starving children, and
hope that the suds fill them.
Turn the knob for eight cycles--
for an eight course meal.
I will wash in much needed education,
and dry out too much ignorance.
A fluffy, dryer sheet will read:
“Thanks to ALL of the Teachers.”
Fold in college degrees and jobs
for all. Get rid of wrinkled
unemployment lines, and soup lines at shelters.
Remove the starch from the Republicans.
Add some to the Democrats.
I will wash the Right-winged, Bible-thumping,
fake-Christian, Conservative Politicians out of
Women’s bodies, and dry them in hell.
I will use the spin cycle to spin a woman
all the way to the White House.
(And NOT as First Lady.)
I will wash the eyes of the people in
other countries so that they will see
our Female Leader, and elect their own.
I will wash clean the eyes of the people in
this country so that they will never again
see the darkness.
I will clean minds.
I will open minds.
I will NEVER use detergents filled with
chemicals which were tested on animals for the
safety of humans: pouring the skin
off of cats and dogs, pouring the blood
from the veins of mice, pouring
the sight from rabbits. Pouring out life.
Detergents that clean in the moment
but destroy in the future. Detergents
that wash away the blue and green
of our perfectly rounded sphere.
Mother, I will wash and dry and fold you
just right. I will clean away those
who wish to hurt you.
I will wash you again and again and again.
I will wash in a lot of love.
And dry out all of the hate.
And with the natural soaps, I will add
kindness and honesty. Take out greed.
Cruelty does not survive in the cleanliness
of hot, cold, and warm waters. I will
drown out the sounds of nonsense,
allowing some silence to rotate as the
washer whirls and the dryer tumbles.
The machines are loud enough.
I will clean the minds.
I will clean the hearts and souls.
I will wash away the boredom on the faces
of children, teenagers, and adults.
Pre-treat with happiness.
Fold with happiness. Hang with happiness.
Wear happiness on the sleeve.
Stop yearning for what we do not have.
Satisfy with a simple scent. Every thing
shrinks. Every thing dies. Love what we have.
I must remember that drying shrinks.
Forget dry-cleaning. I’d rather wash and dry.
I must remember to add a new way
of raising boys and girls in with the laundry.
Make the dirty clothes clean again.
Definitely, wash away violence.
I will buy a Laundromat
so that...
In October of 2000, at the age of 25, Michael Carosone was given the National Italian American Foundation’s Youth Award for Entertainment, for organizing the Brooklyn Film Festivals and the Italian American Filmmakers’ Showcases. Since then, he has been passionate about learning more about his Italian American history, heritage, and culture. Currently, Michael is writing a book on the marginalization of Italian American writers and Italian American literature. He wishes to continue to write on marginalized peoples and literatures, especially Italian Americans and people of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (GLBTQ) community. Also, Michael completed his first book of poetry, and is working on the outlines for his novel, memoir, and collection of short stories. At various conferences nationwide, he has presented papers on queer Italian Americans. In the fall of 2008, he plans to enroll in a doctoral program in English, in which he can continue to study gender, sexuality, ethnicity, culture and literature.
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