Yard Sailing

We
made it
into a verb,
that hunt for
treasure. Some
Saturdays, my mom
and I would take the
paper and circle the yard
sales, paying close attention
to the ones in the upscale parts
of town. We went in the morning,
before the afternoon storm rolled in.
Amazed at what people had to discard,
a brand new tent and high end sleeping bag,
a full set of scuba gear, barely used, the ten speed
I then used to get to work for the next ten years. Most
of what I had, I found by chance. And even now, after having
sailed far away from those days, I so value the accidental treasure,
making something useful again, and the thrill
of knowing that eventually
you can find anything.

Editor’s Note: “Yard Sailing” is best viewed on a desktop/laptop screen. The formatting of the poem will change on mobile screens.

DIANE THIEL is the author of ten books of poetry and nonfiction, including Echolocations and Resistance Fantasies. Her new book of poetry, Questions from Outer Space, is forthcoming from Red Hen Press in Spring 2022. Thiel’s work has appeared in many journals including Poetry, The Hudson Review, The Hopkins Review, The Sewanee Review, and Rattle, among others, and is re-printed widely. Her awards include a PEN award, an NEA Award, and a Fulbright. Originally from Florida, Thiel received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Brown University and is Professor of English and Associate Chair at the University of New Mexico. Thiel has traveled and lived in Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia, working on literary and environmental projects. Her webpage is www.dianethiel.net.