Friday, March 22, 2013

The Tyranny of Choice

Paper or plastic or canvas or compostable microfiber
Yogurt in tubs or gallons or swirls or sold w/crumbles
Bread made of wheat, white, potato, oatmeal or seeds
Shoes named Vans or Sketchers or superstars, no laces
Cars called third countries or creatures, probably extinct
Nail polish in neon, like movies or hair dyes or novels

(God bless the writers)

Wash the merch down with microbrewed pilsner
or wine mixed with chocolate
or mixologist whiskey
or java-soaked ale

I want simple
Sunlight
Dawn
Awe
Laughter
True love
I want complex

or a wonder-led life
or a people unsuffering
or sleepless nights of creation
Wash the intangibles down with the salts of humility

(God bless the writers)

Words in good books or a poem that squeezes or an urge to do same
Thoughts that demand pens or bliss to be spoken or kiss to be taken
Emotions that trim wrinkles or replace burnt bridges or run off in song
Longings of the ages, pondered or buried, the answers no closer
Humor or stories or old pictures or yellow letters w/memories, forgotten
Kindreds who challenge or listen or forgive the missteps, the many

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For drafts, click here.

4 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed the phrasing in the last three lines, Jennifer.

    no closer, forgotten, the many.

    well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for challenging me to do better. it is better than the first.

      Delete
  2. Much enjoyed :) I've been out of touch with the larger world of late, so it's nice to have a chance to come back and see what you've been thinking here :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have a real job, but I sympathize how it takes you into a direction other than the one you'd like. (same here, but I make no money to speak of) A few friends here are thinking of starting a new crit group. Interested? Email me directly or via Facebook and let me know. Thanks for reading my poem, slapdash though it seemed when I put it together.

      Delete

Brave soul to make a comment. Wink.