How Best To Waste It?

I

 

The first of January drifted in,
mundane as the milkman’s daily clinking,
at some point between Auld Lang Syne
and the joyful hugging.
Now we’re just bleary-eyed mortals again,
mechanically emptying the house of mince pies
and complaining about television.
Anticipation fading, secret vows
already stale and defeated.
After all, it’s only a number.
Nothing’s changed

 

 

II

 

Regiments edging forward slowly, clutching
this month’s potential in plastic key form.
City conveyor belts, plotting the immediate future,
already picturing handing it back over –
to a different face, it’s true – and hey, in return:
anchored down by possession, collection,
status achieved chemically via paid admission.
Shelves to be filled, brain cells to be killed.
High Street windows; new image reflected
in dead-eyed mannequin sentries.
Pay day has arrived again.

 

 

III

 

One does not equate the other
yet how quickly they assume,
these parents, employers, lecturers
caring less for expansion than for imposed letters;
the leader of the alphabet swelling with new-found importance
while children wallow in ignorance.
Books forever nearing the cartoon-cliff of extinction,
booted off the edge amidst primitive chanting
as, plugged into pleasure, we’re whisked backwards.
Grunting, squandering, in these hedonistic days:
a useless tribe of ‘clever’ c***s.

 

 

IV

 

Some argue it’s only an illusion
while a deaf audience laughs in their face.
Ha. Watch how quickly goldfish learn
aversion to pushing the outer limits, instead turn
around to kid themselves for another day
that they could bullet through if they wanted, but choose to stay.

Topical debate quickly becomes anomaly

for you cannot waste what you never possessed,

while hypothetical restraints, like gratitude, transparently delay

the strength to wield and achieve; instead the insistence that we’re blessed:

time spent in self-deceit helps the greener grass fade.

 

Author's Note

Opportunity. Wealth. Qualifications and Intelligence. Freedom.
Let me know what you think of this, especially whether the fourth stanza seems ok now.
Thanks.

Reviews

[Tony]

I'm always having to read your poems really slow. I don't want to miss any of it. Your knowledge of the world is particular, and you have an excellent way of putting things, people, and entities, in their place. This poem really made me think. Ya know, those little daily prayer books? Where you awake and read some little thing with a nice picture of a daisy by it?
You should make a book of stuff like this and make a morning read.
Like: november 12; Some argue its only an illusion
While a deaf audience laughs in their face.Ha

That'd be great. Like this poem.

[Emily B]

Definitely go with the other phrase. The grass is greener is too often used.

I enjoyed this very much. Seems like we're all concerned about those rank and file people who never swim the other direction.

[Nicholas Hallows]

This is a great poem!

Part I reminds me of how I feel on NYE while everyone else seems overcome with some kind of magic (could be because I am usually the only sober one). It's the decisions we make everyday of our life that count, not the promises and resolutions that are made and broken so easily.

I really like the seemingly random rhyme throughout.

'City conveyor belts, plotting the immediate future,
already picturing handing it back over �
to a different face'

'while children wallow in ignorance.
Books forever nearing the cartoon-cliff of extinction' - as a teacher I can relate to this line. It's a constant frustration to me how few children want to read now there are so many other options for them. It's one of my goals everyday to try and bring excitement to reading and encourage it as much as I can.

'Watch how quickly goldfish learn
aversion to pushing the outer limits, instead turn
around to kid themselves for another day' - this is a strong metaphor and image. We should always push our limits. Great stuff! I think the forth stanza may be my favourite of them all.

Thank you for sharing.

NH

[Melanie Jane Boicourt S..]

Wow! This is deep. At least I think that it is. I loved the first stanza and it could stand all on it's own as a New Years poem. Then every stanza afterward hits you with something powerful. It is all cleverly explained and the comparisons are unique but make perfect sence.
I love these words
"while children wallow in ignorance.
Books forever nearing the cartoon-cliff of extinction,
booted off the edge amidst primitive chanting
as, plugged into pleasure, we're whisked backwards."
That is so true. It is so difficult to get my children to read and honestly I have fallen into looking for the video games that make you read a lot for my 7 year old. He at least is getting the practice. People keep saying eventually books will be obsolete. Can you imagine??
Wonderful read, I could say more about the other stanzas too but this is pretty long. I love the gold fish thing though!

Love All, Mejasha

[Candle in the wind]

A dear friend once told me time enjoyed is never time wasted.Even it was spent in self deceit it was still worthwhile if it wasnt just a meaning less whiling away of time to make it pass because it hung heavily.

First January drifting in as a mere number because nothing changes laments the mundanity of our lives.

Some argue it's only an illusion
while a deaf audience laughs in their face.
Ha. Watch how quickly goldfish learn
aversion to pushing the outer limits, instead turn
around to kid themselves for another day
that they could bullet through if they wanted, but choose to stay


Reminds of the hollow men the stuffed men living masquerades.

[Narnie]

Oh my goodness... I know it's been some time since I last read you but this is just massive. The rhythm, the message, the tone - everything. Goodness me, it is perfection. Are you immensely proud of this? If not, you should be because it is quite simply the most stirring thing I have read in quite a while, both artistically and as a social commentary. Fabulous.

[Solst Rapture]

Miss. C.Boylan. This is very enigmatic and would take me a good while to even attempt a translation of some of the more abstract sentences. That aside though, I know for certain that I am not too far away from what the main sentiment is. I can feel in this the most complex perceptions struggling to be made clearer. It is work of a very awesome caliber.

As for the fourth stanza, I think I can offer my support of it and say that it was just as intriguing and entertaining as the rest. I would suspect that talking about intelligence would be the most awkward, which is perhaps why you asked for our specific comments about it. The tension that I felt while applying your thoughts, along with my own, to my recent experiences with regard to '...Topical debate quickly...' becoming '...anomaly' was profound. I'd say that you have pierced the outer skin of such frustrations of mine.

A pleasure to read you.

[Aquaphunk]

Wow. you really hit the nail on the head there with that one. A true social commentary ringing with hard truths & lessons to be learned. Fourth stanza is great-I feel like a better person for reading this-thank you!

By-the-way, I Love that pic-just noticed the Guppy in the background...

[Rain]

for you cannot waste what you never possessed