Karen L. Oberst, Freelance Writer - Poetry

Karen L. Oberst, Freelance Writer - Poetry - Small Plain Box

Small Plain Box
by Karen L. Oberst

This poem came from a project we did at Klamath Falls Friends. We were to take pictures or do some writing that reminded us of what we call Quaker SPICE. The letters stand for:

which are some of our Quaker distinctives. Obviously this poem speaks to simplicity, and concerns my work at the library, opening boxes of books.

Small Plain Box

I took the books out of the box
Flipped it over to break it down.
On the bottom it said,
Small Plain Box.

How sad, I thought
For the container to bear
Only that description of itself.
Small Plain Box.

Sometimes I feel like that.
My friends seem much more
Colorful and noticed, and I'm a
Small Plain Box.

I go about my daily activities
Competent, quiet, unseen
Nothing flashy, nothing memorable, a
Small Plain Box.

But that box did its job.
Brought the books safely to us.
It didn't need to be flashy or pretty, that
Small Plain Box

I too can carry out my calling
I can do what needs to be done.
Even if no one notices. Content being a
Small Plain Box.

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