Love Will Tear Us Apart

I've lived in the suburbs of my imagination

so long, I've almost forgotten how to hunt--

the grim necessities of making do

as natural as the drawing in of oxygen.

I answer questions before I've even exhaled,

never certain, nor particularly bothered if 

the arrow of my intention finds its mark.

Whether love or enmity the aim's the same,

getting in and out with the very minimal of friction

needed to maintain velocity. How or what

one consumes, prepackaged organic

seems immaterial at half-past three in the morning.

The truth is the truth has a truth

you either accept, or don't. It's a sieve

of cascading permutations, gyrations

multiplications of infinitesimal integers 

meant to confuse, soothe, cajole whatever

floats the boat down the Big Easy,

keeps the old scow from running aground.

This much is certain: I love you works

until it doesn't work, until its time's up

and then it's over and out--

like getting lost in the supermarket

too-ra ta-loo-ra...

going on vacation ta-loo-rye-ay

every breath you take

too-ra ta-loo-ra...

the soundtrack your heart can't ignore

but doesn't fret, the melody

you've been inoculated against--

too-ra ta-loo-ra....

Had Quasimodo been brave enough

to vacate his garish cathedral

he might have, I think

taken up residence in the suburbs, 

who knows, maybe

even become our next door neighbour.

Ken e Bujold

Author's Note

Peeps might recognize the title. Beginning a new cycle of playing round with the titles of the soundtrack of my youth. Not autobiographical or confessional poem, just let the mind wander off on its own. The opening line popped and from that the rest followed along quite orderly.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

The suburbs can be scary Ken. "Had Quasimodo been brave enough
to vacate his garish cathedral."
If I was Quasimodo. Costa Rica, a safe place. In the USA. The suburbs people have guns. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry .
Coyote

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks john. not sure how safe the suburbs of my imagination are, but quasi would have fit in well

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome Ken.

[willweb]

The opening line was pure brilliance in my opinion, and though I know it wouldn't have been much of a poem, it could stand completely on its and selfishly, I wish it was something I had written. It was also a fantastic lead into the poem that followed. I love you works until it doesn't, until it is just words used in that extreme situation where treading water doesn't seem enough. There is no telling what you might find in the suburbs or...who your neighbors might be. This was killer my friend.

[Ken e Bujold]

I thought about ending after both the 2nd and 3rd stanza but poem just dragged me along to its conclusion. was fun to write. don't know where or why the opening line came to me, just drifted on by and i grabbed it. rest was just riffin while listening to music. when came time to title Joy Division was playing and so...
glad you enjoyed Will

[willweb]

I did enjoy it Ken. It is a shame more people haven't stopped by to read, they could learn a thing or two from your work. Sad, this place isn't the suburbs, it feels more like a ghost town to me. Cue the Good, the bad and the ugly theme song.
: )