Ode to My Light Switch

A funny ode

Every morning, Manuel wakes me up

With the light and I’m like “wazzup?”

The day shall end as Manuel’s eyes reach lead:

Heavy and drooping with the flick of his head.

He’s my teenage love: crazy, wild, and fast,

For he is my Manuel and, surely, it will last.

The only thing is: his moods are so up and down!

Sure, he’s smooth and sleek, but what a clown!

Alas, he is my Manuel.   

 

I bought him in Ecuador, with a face made of bolts

And beauty: it was love at first light.

Our love claims our souls

Like the way the light floods the room and takes flight.

We’d dance and we’d fight and he’d yell,

“Turn. Me. Off!”

But I constantly forgot and he forgave because I fell

In love with my Manuel.

 

So I worked late and he even later, providing me with the light

To see the answers I clearly missed.  

But lately, his love for me didn’t feel quite right.

It was like before we had met and before we had kissed,

Before I had loved him with all of my light.

No one could have seen, for sure, the future to come, and as I

Stepped into my house,

I depended upon the light to allow me to see why

No Manuel met me, no light nor no spouse.

So I scampered around my apartment, blind as can be,

And realized that it’s true what they say: love is blind,

As is the absence of light -- I can’t see

How my Manuel was not so kind.

 

 I made it to the cupboard with broken toes,

And found the note that Manuel had meant for me to see:

All you did was turn me on and now everyone knows!

You never remembered to turn me off, so now it’s just me.

Don’t you know how painful it is to stay turned on all day?!

I hope you find your light, but, for now, I’ll be away.

-Manuel

 

I sat in the darkness for weeks to come and I wept!

But I never saw the true reason why he had left.

I figured it out when, the other night, I drunk-called

Him before I saw him there on the bar wall:

He was shiny and brass, mounted on a wall where he could

Be turned on or off, whenever he wanted and I should

Be happy but instead I cried and told myself to

Remember what’s true:

Make your own light or someone else’s will lead you awry.

Oh Manuel...Goodbye.

 

 

Reviews

[End.]

I really enjoyed this! Very whimsical yet written with sophistication and style. Your tone and style are much different than mine, but that is something i have learned to appreciate. I think you are truly talented. The mark of a good poet is to successfully convey different moods/emotions. I have yet to tackle something like this. I'm a little jealous of how good you are here! Truly a good read. You could make a themed collection of poems like this. I think it would be thoroughly enjoyable. Looking forward to reading more of your work!

[Kelley Quinn]

Thank you so much! I'll be sure to read some of your work to see the differences between our styles.