2026 Poetry Challenge - Humor - Loosely Hinged - Poems - Unserious

Post-Its

Sometimes I imagine
the Post-Its that I would leave
in strange places

Fantastical messages to a Self
that I would stage
in the wild
for some unsuspecting passerby
to encounter
hours, days, weeks later

Perhaps it would warrant
a second glance
or even a pause
a catch of the breath

Post-its I would leave
for someone else to discover
to decode and debrief
to incite a reaction,
a startle reflex

Post-its I would leave
on a lamp post
on a rusting newspaper box
on the greasy
black handrail
of the Metro escalator
on the ceiling of an Uber
on the mirror of a restroom

Post-its that I would place
on the shelf of the canned goods aisle
in between the fresh-steamed corn
and lye-soaked hominy
or in the freezer wedged
between Eggos
and Toaster Struedels

Post-Its that would render
their future reader unsure
of the veracity,
audacity of the To-Dos

Spark curiosity
ignite a sweep
of someone's
peripheral vision

Yes, it would be ideal
to leave unhinged love notes
for a bored shopper

Post-it notes
I would leave
in strange places
to stir it up a bit;
leave the world guessing.


Poet, writer, photographer and slightly distracted day-dreamer who muses on (gestures at everything) from the petty to the profound. On a semi-serious, fully earnest search for meaning in the mayhem. Perimenopausal, melanin-deprived, irony-enhanced recovering perfectionist Type A+ millennial woman. She balances the ever-continuing quest to Know Better/Do Better, with the distinct ego-death of parenting a smart, full-throated child who was raised to know the power of her voice. Mothering a teen means catching a side-eye in almost every interaction. Diana navigates the minutiae of everyday life through seeking the magical in the mundane. Follow along and laugh with her as the world flames out!

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