Crazed Collection

This piece, representing a green cabbage or lettuce leaf, has a bright red lobster claw to provide interest… There are no chips, cracks, dings, scratches, etc. There is the usual amount of crazing… The backside is marked Brad Keeler… This super piece… may fill that void in your lobsterware collection.

– ad found on E-Bay.

Glazed eyes gaze into the infinite distance
on the open shelving in my kitchen.
Earthen elements molded into lobsters and leaves form
a frieze of my dead grandfather's work.

On the open shelving in my kitchen
I've arranged his platters, casseroles, and bowls.
A frieze of my dead grandfather's work,
these crazed green-garnished, blood-threaded dishes.

I've arranged his platters, casseroles, and bowls.
Imperfections longed for: cracks, dings and scratches.
These crazed green-and-garnet glazed dishes
have found a home amid my homely kitchen's

imperfection. Longing for cracks, dings and scratches,
I order imperfect pieces. The damaged
find a home in my homes kitchen.
Crazed collection elevating the forgotten,

I order imperfect pieces– the damaged,
disregarded, fill a void in this
collection, elevating the forgotten
yellowed news-clips, dust-covered photographs.

The discarded fill a void in this
kitchen, remember what I’ve never known. 
Yellowed news-clips, dust-covered photographs,
reveal my mother's father. In this

kitchen remember what I have never known:
earthen elements. Molded into lobsters and leaves, form
reveals my mother's father. In these
glazed eyes the infinite distance gazes back.