#5- Riddle and Challenge.

Talking about riddles and talking about talking.

I miss the conversations, Miss

On the phone

Or on voice chat

From X, Y, and Z applications.

On this and on that.

All the many channels

That couples use these days

To reach each other

From here to there.

Now, mostly dried up.

And we were never 

Really a couple.  

Because at the time,

It didn't matter, yet, Miss.

Slow and steady won the race,

I thought.

Might as well enjoy the ride.

We'll move at your pace.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

You would ask, unsure.

Not quite believing 

I'd be happy,

Just listening 

To you 

Doing your work 

For school or whatever

On this or on that.

Because at the time,

It was the only thing that mattered, Miss.

I just liked the sound of your voice.

And being in your presence.

As best I could.

Considering the distance.

I enjoyed those conversations, 

That wandered around.

Topics lost and topics found.

I remember you asking me 

Once, if I liked

Brunettes or Blondes.

And so on and so on, 

Because everyone has their preference.  

And I'm not sure how you reacted,

When I admitted my indifference

And my admittance

That my Number One turn-on

Is a woman's intelligence.

I know you never liked hearing compliments.

But you're a very smart girl.

And I think you got the hint.

Because flirting with you was so much fun.

But then again, what wasn't?

I miss those conversations.  

I miss when it was okay 

To just talk and listen.

We don't do this much, anymore.

And it hurts me to think about.  

I don't know if He would mind,

But I'm guessing He would.

Because, by all measure,

The race is over,

And time has 

Run out.

I lost.

The Challenge, entirely.

But, still, 

Every now 

And then, I can

Get you alone for 

A few minutes to talk 

Again, about school or what,

And wherever the wind blows.

Like the last time we chatted, 

about nothing in particular.

The time you 

Asked me a riddle or two.

A sample from your study.

For your university.

For your advisor.

And your life without me.

And I jumped at the chance, 

To show you my wit.

"Suppose you are a doctor, 

Who must deal with this issue:

To treat the tumor 

You must administer radiation 

At levels unsafe

For the rest 

Of the nearby tissue.

"Excision is not possible,

But without action, he'll die.

So how do you deal, 

With the tumor inside?"

I paused, and I thought.  

Giving my best, clinical guess.

"Cut open his chest, 

Apply the radiation directly."

You laughed and said, 

"Okay, how about this:

In a foreign country

You aim to take out

A dictator in a fortress

Whose defenses prevent

Large scale offenses.

"However, small bands of men

Can slip past the mines.

How do you free the 

The people inside?"

I thought again,

Much harder.

Straining every cognition.

"Through subterfuge

And cunning.

We incite sedition.

I have a small team,

Whisper words of dissent.

And have the people 

Remove the dictator themselves."

And we laughed, 

At my Answers.

Far more direct

Or

Far more complicated 

Than needed.

I was wrong.  

I lost.  

I conceded.

But that was fine, 

Because at the time,

Talking with you was all I needed.  

Author's Note

Still working on trying to write a poem a day. It's getting easier, and I'm enjoying myself.
Also, my poems have been feeling pretty heavy. I don't want my tone to feel repetitive.

Reviews

[Mae Owens]

It's a start, keep on trying it will get better and that's how i use to be and the more you practice, you will get it and your poem isn't bad, its good.

[Paper]

Thank you very much for the encouragement!

[Mae Owens]

You very welcome and look at some of my stories and poems and let me know what you think.

[...]

Maybe too long for me. But otherwise very good job with words. Feel like real conversation at some late hour at coffee house. Well done dear poet.

[Paper]

I'm new to poetry, but I've been playing around with prose on and off since I was a teenager.

I've been told my prose has a very conversational tone to it, and I suppose that's something I'd like to keep with my poetry.