Sunday Scribblings - I Carry (A Photo and a Poem)

I must be feeling brave. Here's a photo of what I really carry in my purse (click here for notes):

This week's Sunday Scribblings promt is "I Carry."

Here's a poem I wrote today. I teach writing poetry to my class,
and this was a good exercise in how hard it is.

Bag Ladies

We went to dinner,
some new restaurant we all wanted to try,
hanging our purses on the tops of designer chairs.
We ordered tapas and tried the red wine
the sommelier recommended.

We toasted our glasses and pulled out photos of our kids, saying
“How they’ve grown! Where does the time go?”
Gretchen pulled out a silver compact touched up her lips with her latest pink.
I caught her,
while she unconsciously brushed the growing lines around her eyes.

Stacy reached into her purse,
discretely to everyone but me,
and popped several pills
which she swallowed with her Merlot,
confirming what I already dreaded.

I glanced at Caroline’s purse
overflowing with pieces of her -
receipts, cosmetics, candy, multiple to do lists, volunteer work, a book, and toys for her kids.
She looked up, blushed, and confessed,
“I live in fear of being called up for Let’s Make a Deal.”

I glanced at my own purse and wondered
what the purse I carry said about me,
what secret it was holding inside.
Ashamed, I wondered, did I max out my credit cards on a retail therapy trip to Target?
Waiter, check please.