The Kingdom of Enough
By Marianne Brems

First among amounts to consider is enough,

enough with its shaded walkways,

clear pools, and cool breezes.

The question is always, How much is enough?

Is almost enough enough if you add just a little water?

Is too much enough if you scrape a little off the top?

Trickier still is that enough for me

will surely be too little or too much for you

and vice versa.

If we try to make it uniform,

one of us will be scraping

or the other adding water

and shaded walkways

will become avenues of illusion

without clear pools or cool breezes.

Marianne Brems is the author of the full length poetry collection Stepping Stones (2024) and three chapbooks. Her poems have also appeared in literary journals including The Bluebird Word, Front Porch Review, Remington Review, and Lavender Review. Favorite poets include Kay Ryan, Ellen Bass, and Naomi Shihab Nye. She lives, cycles, and swims in Northern California.