Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bad Poetry Day in the Rites--Practicing Rhymes

We’ve been wasting our time speaking of Love,
While the World dissolves into tiny shards.

The Pure and the Vile, the Hawk and the Dove.
Economies falling like houses of cards.

We’re too old, too sick and too poor for this.
We’ll be in our graves before we get real.

Every child in the World needs a kiss.
And clothes, and shelter and a decent meal.

Who cares if we never again have sex,
If people are sick and dying in pain?

Our bellies are sagging. So are our necks.
In the meantime, Satan hijacked the train.

I’m surrounded by people, not alone.
Biggest U.S. city just down the hill.

You’ve hidden yourself from all but the phone.
To lick your wounds in a broken-down mill.

There’s no glee in your sorry state of loss.
No winner either in this stupid game.

Stay there and contemplate your  wooden cross
Pray for redemption from a life of blame.

I’ve got books to read and poems to write.
I’ve got friends to love and a world to see.

This weird old lady has a stronger light.
Money and time to get where I should be.

It’s freeing to know you don’t read my buzz.
I don’t really care if anyone did.

‘Cause if I die as one who never was.
It’s better than being a has been, Kid.

2 comments:

  1. "Pray for redemption from a life of blame"? BOOyah! So true... I like this, Susan.

    The conclusion hits me on second read as particularly deep, that to not put ourselves on the Satan Train of societal notions of success can (and, by appearances, frequently does) offer the possibility of a quieter, gentler life, with (provided we'd reasonably fed and housed) larger energy available to focus on generating multiversal love (as very distinct from romantic) .

    And that you end it with "Kid" (of course ;) gets me thinking of my daughter's amazing uttering back when she was in preschool, "God is our human reality house." She tapped straight into the matrix to pull up an interpretation (as I realized instantly upon her uttering it) the Buddha's "With our thoughts we make our world".... Your world as described here is one of releasing the bitterness of the past in favor of beloved books & poems & friends & love & stronger light. EnJOY it! It's YOURS!

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  2. Yes, I think this friend and I have been arguing about how success is measured. I'm in an odd situation being on Disability and Pension because the money just shows up every month. It's enough and I can write and relax. I'm in the middle of a busy world full of people. I've learned that freedom comes from enjoying what you have. And as we get into our 60's, we can't think in the same way we did as people in our 30's. We blew some chances and we have some left and we have to be happy with what we have or we will surely go mad.

    I end it with "Kid" because he HATES it when I use terms like that. We're actually taking a hiatus from our friendship because of the over dramatic philosophizing. I hope he finds wealth and fashion models. I'll be happy paying the rent.

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