A Contemporary Poet I'd Never Read Before

Standing in the aisle
at the bookstore,

while reading the poetry of a poet
I'd never read before
but the cover of whose book
featured
     effusive
          adjectives,

I was reminded of things
I'd thought of saying
but never said,
and then recalled
a pan of spaghetti sauce
I once left on the stove too long
with regret.

Pax et bonum