The floorboards are uneven by the fridge

The floorboards are uneven by the fridge.

I stepped where the gasket gave out,

a cold, flat mouth of defrost water

soaking through the heel of the last clean pair.

The white wool goes heavy and gray,

the weave turning translucent against my big toe.

It’s a slow itch, a creeping swamp

that makes me want to peel my skin back.

I keep scrubbing the grease off the plates,

standing in the puddle because I can't

bear to see the dry floor

on the other side of the kitchen.