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Rocking Chair

by Mary Soon Lee

Mary Soon Lee was born and raised in London, but has lived in Pittsburgh for over twenty years. Her latest books are from opposite ends of the poetry spectrum: "Elemental Haiku," containing haiku for the periodic table, and "The Sign of the Dragon," an epic fantasy with Chinese elements, winner of the 2021 Elgin Award. She hides her online presence with a cryptically named website (marysoonlee.com) and an equally cryptic Twitter account (@MarySoonLee).

Don't get up, little sister. Please. Please don't stop rocking.

I can only talk by the creaks. That's part of the curse.

What curse? The one from our nurserymaid, silly. The new one with funny pink hair.

I could've been a frog, if I hadn't stomped my foot when she said she'd turn me into one. A frog would've been tons better.

But now I'm stuck as a chair unless someone kisses me. As if. Though if you do, I promise I won't tease you for a month--

No? Bother! Bother! Bother!

Anyway, don't complain if she burns the crumpets.

The End

This story was first published on Thursday, August 11th, 2022

Author Comments

Often when I sit down to write, I begin by looking at poetry writing prompts. In this case, one of those prompts--about addressing a household item--led me not to a poem, but to a drabble. I considered addressing a poem to socks, cat bowls, and then a chair. Then I thought about instead having the chair talk for itself, and so arrived at this story idea. N.B. For the curious, the book I regularly dip into for poetry prompts is The Daily Poet by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano.

- Mary Soon Lee

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