Papier Mâché

By Elaine Verdill

Start by working inside the balloon

Cover the linear curved walls with

Water

Paper

Glue

Blended into newsprint

Black ink

A mess

Finish from the exit

Cover and let bloom

Until dust overwhelms

Then toss into the garbage

Clean the worktable

Water

Paper

Glue

Blend into news

Print hands

Thumb marks

Of an age

When the children grew

Remembering

The day Grandma let them

Create the creatures

Of papier mâché

Elaine Verdill is a poet and photographer who also paints with acrylics. Her artwork can be found in many publications, such as: Assignment Literary Magazine; Radar Poetry: Making Waves: A West Michigan Review; The Poets’ Touchstone; Watershed Review; The Bookends Review; Calyx, A Journal of Art and Literature for Women.