And So The Search Begins Poem by RIC BASTASA

he starts with an advertisement
wanted: a clean woman

neat down to the nails
of her toe
one who washes her hands
with chlorine
and gargles salt and vinegar
and munches mint
before kissing

in a line he sees
laundrywomen and washers
and babysitters

he closes the door
and wonders where is the clean woman
of her dreams

he dreams of the unicorn
wearing a white apron
and a bottle of antiseptics
to boot
a purified germ-free presence