Hardware Store: Poetry Where You Don't Usually Find It

You may recall about a month ago we posted "Car Talk: a Love Poem" by Jack McCarthy.  We had just returned from a short vacation on Block Island, where we had the occasion to attend an afternoon of Summerfest, an outgrowth of the Block Island Poetry Project.  Our host at the B&B was Lisa Starr, Poet Laureate of Rhode Island, pictured below in the orange top, in front of the performing stage set up in the backyard of her B&B, Hygeia House.

Lisa Starr photo from Valerie Lawson

Valerie Lawson was one of the poets giving a reading that day, and I really enjoyed her poem "Hardware Store".  I spoke to her about it later that afternoon.  I wanted to get a copy of that hardware store poem to share it here, for a couple of reasons: 

1) I liked it a lot;
2) I thought you guys/gals might enjoy it;
3) In furtherance of Lisa' efforts to 'bring poetry to places where you don't usually find it";
4) I find that a little poetry now and then really 'classes up' the place.

;)

So today I received an email from Valerie Lawson, the author of the "Hardware Store ' poem, and a copy of the poem.  I received it as an image, rather than text, so you may notice that the image appears to contain a couple of typos which I was unable to correct.   I also received a nice note from her, which I have included.  Thank you very much Valerie!

Valerie Lawson

Enjoy!


Dear Tom,

We met recently at the Block Island Poetry SummerFest and you expressed an interest in my Hardware Store poem. 

Thank you! And my apologies for taking so long.

Attached is the poem. It was first published by Main Street Rag in Spring 2003.

Regards,

Valerie