Dead machines
At night, in the headlights,
we see it at the entrance
to the dump, slightly off centre:
the washing machine,
gleaming white in the dark,
invested with importance.
We pray that it may grant us
success and everlasting life.
Until we find new gods.
On a field dusty with grey
we discover the burial grounds.
Tractors, diggers, generators...
Bow deep and worship,
and grant us this day
our daily breath.
About the Author: Rose Mary Boehm is a German-born British national living and writing in Lima, Peru. Author of two novels, short stories, eight poetry collections and one chapbook, her poetry has been published widely in mostly US poetry reviews (online and print). She is a several times ‘Pushcart’ and a ‘Best of Net’ nominee. All her recent books are available on Amazon. The new chapbook, ‘The Matter of Words’, was published in June 2025, and a new full-length collection has been slated for publishing in 2027. https://www.rose-mary-boehm-poet.com/
Image Credit: Carol M. Highsmith “Automobile junkyards are a common site across rural America, but this one, near Jamestown in Elkhart County, Indiana, is reserved for farm equipment, from tractors to tillers” (2016) Public domain image courtesy of the Library of Congress
As It Ought To Be 