The Black Mat

 

The Black Mat has traveled

from home to home,

its color never fading.

It lives by the door,

this Black Mat,

watching people come in, in, in,

and out, out, out.

The Black Mat has been lovingly stepped on,

with tantrum stomps,

excited jumps,

the tip tip tips of sneaking in,

and the tosses of shoes being thrown around.

The Mat has seen it all.

From sand and flip-flops,

to snow and snow boots,

to cleats and chunks of bright green grass and mud,

and to the average Vans size 6 shoe,

always tossed onto one of its corners.

The Mat has seen children,

grow into bigger children,

and bigger shoe sizes.

But it always welcomes anyone in.

There’s a great comfort in knowing

this mat will always be here.

A continuity,

that won’t ever get up and leave.

It’ll always be there,

to take the stomps of the day.

​

Abigail Nam