The Iowa House

Walking into the bathroom upstairs
of the Iowa house
a bar of rose soap
sits under an open window
covered with yellow jackets
i am seven years old
in the house of McGoldrick
There is just one bar of soap
in all the universe
one scent of rose
in all the supermarkets
one Unity
underlying all the diversity
of Creation
Beyond fear
Unborn
Without blame or revenge
Touched by the infinite
Full of light
Rose
i never wanted the scent of it
but it’s like an ammonia capsule
i come alive when i smell it
Someday I hope to wake up
for good in the House of Joy
and never smell or see a rose again
although I wouldn’t mind a vase
of irises under the window
I love irises.