John Harms
ENG 294
Fall 1998

Too Many Stories to Tell

In my furnished apartment bedroom stands a brown, 4-drawer dresser.

I imagine it has many stories to tell from its previous users.

Now it has my story to tell, but it cannot speak so I will describe it.

This dresser is neatly organized on top,

with an alarm clock and a radio.

Between the alarm clock and radio sit a bottle-tub of glitter gel,

worn on occasion to Tuesday nights, my only night out during the week,

and a bottle of Avon cover-up makeup, donated by my mother for those 'bad days.'

On top of my dual-alarm AM/FM clock radio rests my wristwatch,

whenever I am not wearing it.

Almost right in the middle of the dresser, my candles organized.

A green candleholder containing a red, black cherry scented candle for mood,

At least, that is what I use the candles for. That is my opinion.

Next to the array of candles I keep my earrings, one pair waiting to be used, and the

holder for the ones I usually wear.

A dime and two pennies add to the diverse collection of items on top of my dresser.

Also kept are my usual personal items – a stick of deodorant, a cordless razor, toothbrush

and toothpaste, and a tube of hair gel with a comb usually nearby.

If there is room to stack, there is room for more of my interesting items.

On top of my radio I keep a bottle of after-tanning burn lotion,

competing for space next to a bottle of cocoa butter lotion.

On the right edge of my radio sits a bear with a story of its own.

Obtained from a holiday party last December, it wasn't supposed to be serious.

But I could not get rid of this bear. It was kind of cute.

With light brown fur, a red and green vest with a little snowman sowed to it,

and a green and red plaid-colored bandana around his head.

It sat in my room, staring at me last year, so I put it to good use.

I identified this bear as a male bear. What the hell.

I pierced his ears and gave him a nose ring.

I decked him out with flags, red AIDS ribbons, and necklaces.

He already looked a little punky as he came to me, so I added a little more.

He is now my necklace bear, wearing my necklaces whenever I am not.

I put a lot of trust in him not to get them dirty or lose them.

He has been a doing a good job of that so far.

We chat once in a while, what the hell, life is already full of insanity.

And that's my dresser. It may look cluttered to some,

but to me it holds up many stories, and has room for many more.