Still Dusty

I grabbed the lint roller from the shelf.

The sweater was covered—I needed help.

White threads all over it.

The adhesive sheet was almost done.

I could tell by the feel,

by that dry, tired sensation

of something worked too long,

something used by everyone.

I rolled it across the fabric.

First pass: lint stuck.

Second pass: less. The sheet

was losing its grip.

Third pass: barely anything now.

The roller just pushed dust around,

didn't lift it off the ground.

I threw it away.

The sweater still had lint on it.

Still dusty. Still not clean.

I held it to the light.

White threads. Accumulated dust.

The stuff that wouldn't come off.

I put the sweater on anyway.

The lint stayed.