Book Discussion Questions

A. GENERATE GENERAL DISCUSSION about the book. What did you enjoy/not enjoy about it? What were the main themes? Did any specific poems or the book collectively address the issue of career pivot? How did the experiences of the laundromat in the book compare to your own (if you’ve ever gone)? How will it impact your future visits?

B. CONSIDER POETRY. In appreciating the flexibility of poetry and its core elements (rhyme, rhythm, sound devices, figurative language, form) how effective were/were not these free verse or prose poems in sharing the topics in the book? Would rhyming poems or another literary genre (e.g., short story, essay, memoir, etc.) have worked better or not? Were readers drawn to any specific poems and what emotions were evoked?

C. Chapter 1 - EXAMINE THINGS at the laundromat. What were some surprising objects and how were poems used to share their essence or value to the author? Consider if/how noticing and appreciating things cultivates contentment.

D. Chapter 2 - Similarly, EXAMINE TASKS done at the mat. Which poems revealed details on expected tasks versus some unusual tasks? Explain how the author found beauty in the mundane and if/how we can do this in all realms of our daily lives. If there are readers in the group that are also business owners or involved in Human Relations, discuss if/how the comparison of Sisyphus in “Staffing Woes” likens to their staffing experiences.

E. Chapter 3 - MEET CUSTOMERS. Which were your favorite customer-poems? How were their attributes developed? How effective was the use of repetition as a writing technique in some poems (“Big Jim”, “Julia”, and “Our Secret”)? What were the reactions of cat lovers in the group to “Cathy, the Cat Lady”?

F. Chapter 4 - TALK ABOUT TALKERS. Similes, which use like or as, compared the talking habits of customers to various things or actions in the mat. For example: “Like the water gushing into the washer…you gush forth at me…” Did you find the comparisons and enjoy them or not? Were the strategies on how to handle the different type of talkers helpful, and if so, how? Did you recognize yourself or someone else as a specific type of talker?

G. Chapter 5 - PLAY WITH DETRITUS! Discuss the word “detritus” and if it best captures the odds and ends found at the mat. What were your reactions to the fictional backstory poems: amazement, disbelief, humor or what? Can detritus in your life, from a junk drawer, car floorboard, purse or wherever, inspire a poem?

H. Chapter 6 - PONDER PERSPECTIVE. How has being a business owner impacted the author’s perspective on money and the economy, racial discrimination or the American Dream? Did you read “Say their Names” out loud and use the “Refresher”? Does the final short chapter encourage readers to be optimistic and take action or too cynical and give up hope?