fright runner potatoes road drifting twisted pinch glassy prickled neck shifted still
Poets & Storytellers asked us to use: teeth, hammer, blooms.
A Twisted View
The world comes to him.
Brashly, loudly, relentlessly.
Stories of grief and gloom
Stories of contrived love,
Of kittens in distress,
Lycra bums on bikes
Racing down foreign roads,
Men with no necks
Chasing leather balls
On sodden paddocks,
As if it mattered.
Politicians with earnest looks,
Dubious intent,
And doubtful prospects,
Arguing the day’s talking points,
Hammering the opposition,
Drifting (or running)
Into hyperbole as required.
A pinch of salt is also required.
The news— or some movie,
Hard to differentiate—
Both designed to frighten,
Anger or entertain,
Stories that prickle and prod.
In between, the advertisements,
Earnest people with perfect teeth
Hammer, hammer, hammer home
The message: Buy, buy, buy.
Glassy eyed and foggy brained,
Still sitting where he was yesterday
And the times before that. Still.
Outside, life shifts—seeds grow, bloom,
Wither and die.
Unperturbed, he reaches for a crisp—
Potato eats potato.
I like the way you built up the picture detail by detail, and the last line made me LOL.
ReplyDeleteHow has it come to that? Still outside... You really took the challenge far.
ReplyDeleteI like the grim. So often it seems like we're on the outside looking in though we really are a part of everything and our actions or inaction matters.
ReplyDeleteThe last line was quite funny, but the truth that came before is still very grim.
ReplyDeletea sophisticated snap shot of how man can veer so close to not only, animal but vegetable. Inspires one to keep the eye on the higher Self. Very well written. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteconsumerism is a terrifying machine with no end... faster and faster we must consume and buy.... where is the power button?? loved the fast pace... as if i was watching a screen and images flashing before me... and who was sitting next to me so nonchalant that guy eating chips...
ReplyDeleteAs ever your writing is a knowing and healthily cynical take on the world! Jae
ReplyDeleteThe cynicism in this poem gave way to a laugh-out-loud last line.
ReplyDelete