Linda Peters lives in northern Illinois, U.S.A. with her husband, a greyhound, and three snakes. A high school math teacher, she also enjoys music, art, traveling, the outdoors, photography, and being on the water.

The Useless Stuff 

It's finally happened
I'm on the 99th sneeze
got one too many FRAGRANT
gifts of potpourri.
My dogs received blankets
of a space age design.
We spread them out flat.
No dog is supine.
And I don't mean to sound unkind at all, 
but what ARE we to do 
with a ten pound
rum cheese ball?
For next year's strategy
please follow like a map: 
Let's skip the useless stuff
and just send bubble wrap.