I walked the dog early today

And forgot I was wearing my dollar store tiara

Plastic, missing a pink paste jewel

A handy hairband while mixing breakfast biscuits.

Mainly it inspires me like a writing prompt

To banish the censor at my desk, to follow my muse

And let creativity tumble out onto morning pages

Like soft round puppies.

I stoop to fill the old terrier’s poop bag

And the tiara falls to the grass near my slippers.

I laugh, realizing the recycler’s earlier curbside wave

Was a vertical, wrist-twist, regal response.