The bed lamp, pill jar, sheets, and the gods.
The I-beam, scrapyard, bricks, and the gods.
The drawstring, tongue flap, boots, and the gods.
The runway, wind sock, wings, and the gods.

The clothespin, camisole, briefs, and the gods.
The wash cloth, soap tub, bleach, and the gods.
The tea spoon, cheesecloth, sink, and the gods.
The stove-top, spice rack, plates, and the gods.

The door bolt, peephole, locks, and the gods.
The chain fence, barbed wire, gates, and the gods.
The guard dog, draw-shade, blinds, and the gods.
The doorman, password, key, and the gods.

The bow-tie, cumberbun, ring, and the gods.
The bride-gown, wine glass, toasts, and the gods.
The headboard, bedpost, sweat, and the gods.
The midwife, birth seat, blood, and the gods.

The shoelace, dollhouse, braids, and the gods.
The lip gloss, hairpins, heels, and the gods.
The stretch marks, waist lines, warts, and the gods.
The eye bags, hair dye, moles, and the gods.

The asphalt, pot hole, cracks, and the gods.
The warehouse, glass shards, rats, and the gods.
The cobwebs, dust heaps, wind, and the gods.
The raindrop, mud-clay, seeds, and the gods.

Rotting Silver is a column devoted to this Earth in all its tarnished radiance: poetry, prose, and parables of ugliness alloyed with joy.

This piece was first published at The Witch’s Voice.

The Author

B. T. Newberg:  Since the year 2000, B. T. has been practicing meditation and ritual from a naturalistic perspective. He currently volunteers as Education Director for the Spiritual Naturalist Society, where he is creating an online course in naturalistic spirituality. His writings can also be found at Patheos and Pagan Square, as well as right here at HP.

Professionally, he teaches English as a Second Language.  After living in Minnesota, England, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, he currently resides in St Paul, Minnesota, with his wife and cat.

After founding HumanisticPaganism.com in 2011 and serving as managing editor till 2013, he now serves as advising editor, and feels blessed to be a part of this community.