when disaster strikes, a lesson in euphemisms
by NL Shompole
When a house burns in the fire , never say ‘my house burned in a fire’ lest you invite the fire back, say ‘the wind took my house,’ or ‘the water came last night’ and when a man leaves you with no reason or notice never say ‘my lover he left me’ lest you invite the spirit of leaving into your home, say ‘he went on a journey,’ or ‘sometimes I remember him.’ This is how you keep the ghosts of always leaving from claiming you.
Get NL Shompole’s poetry books here:
Check my review of her poetry book Lace Bone Beast here.
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