Dirty Laundry

Washing my linens can be hard because

the smell of dryer sheets

takes me back to my uncle's washer room:

the first part of the house I saw after school.

I would hide there when he got mad,

because he didn't venture there too much.

Cheap fabric softener and expensive detergent

covered alcoholic rages and threats of beatings.

It's just too hard to keep my clothes clean.