Things Don’t Matter

Macy’s would have you believe
things matter and the better the brand
the higher your status.

The fashion industry dazzles
you with things that sparkle
like a crow you collect anything that shimmers
crowding your nest with trinkets and glass.

Extreme cases of collection obsession
are shown on talk shows and cable programs
the hoarders can’t stop collecting

cramming their space with things that don’t matter
forgetting how to distinguish what is important
grasping tightly to the insignificant.

After a disaster with all the debris scattered
across three counties it is easy to see
things don’t matter.

Play a game with yourself
have a garage sale and sell all that you can
donating the rest to Goodwill
and toss everything else in the trash.

Keep your coin collections
and diamonds and gold
but everything else must go.

Sort through your pictures
make albums of the faces you know
and let go of the photos of forgotten encounters.

Rid your closets of things you don’t wear
clear your garage of things you don’t need.

Remember things don’t matter
you can be free.