On Staples
by Marianne Brems
A staple gains stature
by what it holds together.
Two tiny holes is the emptiness
that brings a bundle together.
With the kachunk of a Swingline
some commonality
turns disparate things to one
with a definitive permanence,
a sweet closure, often overlooked,
missing entirely with the noiseless glide
of a paper clip.
Marianne Brems is the author of the full-length poetry collections Within the Trifles (2025) and Stepping Stones (2024) as well as three chapbooks. Her poems have also appeared in literary journals including Cider Press Review, Front Porch Review, Remington Review, and Lavender Review. She was a nominee for the Eric Hoffer Book Award 2025. She lives, cycles, and swims in Northern California. Website: www.mariannebrems.com.
