Kate Peper




Ikea

Wake up sleeper, rise from the dead…
—Ephesians 5:14

No clocks. All the windowless walls
gleam with their own light.

Rooms within rooms at first
frightened then lulled her—

Lord, I came here only for a faucet.
How could I have lost You?

She buys a miniature watering can and an indoor-
outdoor rug before hearing the loudspeaker
call her name. I’m here, Lord, on the 3rd floor

with the cabinets. The blandness of veneer
is comforting. She wanders to the Malm Queen Size,
stretches out face down.

Christ lifts up the sno-globe
and shakes it, flakes falling on the blue
and yellow building inside. Wake up! Wake up!
He says to His flanneled doll on her bed.