Master Bath
When the ladybugs first appeared
with last year’s bloom
I wasn’t happy about it
the swarm
dotting the bathroom ceiling
crawling the walls
a few
finding their way
into my bedsheets
at night
But I wouldn’t kill them
and told the kids—
They don’t bite
they move
slowly
you can tell how old they are
by the number of dots
on their wings
For a very long time
I couldn’t even vacuum them away
Instead
each morning
I cranked open
the bathroom windows
collected them with the broom and
blowing into my palms
urged them
onward
to open air
I watched them hover
float steadily away
these harbingers of spring
coming here
anyhow
to this spacious hollow
master
bath
Author: A. G. James
Photo: ifer endahl on Unsplash
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