I pick up the needle and place it on the record
Just to hear the scratch.

A tea kettle whistles on the stove top.

Water rushes into the porcelain bath.  

A fresh paper is bagged,
Thrown, rained on, frozen,
Picked up, and unfolded.

Industrial tape rips to seal a gift.

The click of a button
Triggers moving gears. 

A red light cuts through morning fog. 

A metal door catches a pressurized hinge,
Then slams.

The elevator chimes at each floor.

Man-made rhythms.
Keeping time.
Sensual consumption.

I pick up the needle and place it on the record
Just to hear the scratch.

R.R. Noall is a world traveler, tattoo collector, wine drinker, and occasional writer who pets all of the dogs. She's the host of Poems for People, a popular poetry podcast, and the founding editor of From Whispers to Roars, an indie literary magazine. In 2019, she received her MA in Creative Writing from The University of Denver. Past work has been featured by Chaleur Magazine, Genre: Urban Arts, RANGE, CEO Lit Mag, and in Her Heart Poetry publications.