someday soon

my urologist 

and I

found the remains of Elvis

almost jelly-like

hidden in the

small of my back

 

and I remembered then how

we are allowed only 5 minutes

of happiness

 

yesterday my thumb

broke off like a wax candle

and I thought how 

the stench of his Pompadour

made me retch 

today 

it’s one of those impossibly 

transparent days when each tree

on the distant mountains

stands clean and clear and

you think you might be able

to see the future

not Elvis’ future, your’s

 

he only got three of his minutes

but you’re still waiting

Reviews

[Eilis]

I suppose if the five minutes of happiness hasn’t arrived yet, there is still that to look forward to and lend some gravitas to the future. As they say the best is yet to come—and as such there remains a reason to keep getting up everyday. Or so I’m told. If Elvis only managed three of his minutes, I feel I’m in trouble, haha. But it goes to show happiness must be something more like what Basho was pursuing than the materiality of Elvis. Love the humor in your writing. Helps me laugh at myself at bit. This is great.

[SkinlessFrank]

I think that sometimes when we are feeling down, we wonder about the lives of others. At least, I had the tendency to do so, and in the worst of moments, would wish to trade places, even though I knew that the life I coveted was a masquerade, a false advertisement, and knew at some deeper level that it would only disappoint. I love how you picked up on that. Yes, we should be laughing at ourselves.

[Unspoken poet]

Interesting read here, loved the last three lines, truthful if you think about it.

[.]

Three minute of fame isn't in the commoner's fate... It is not in the opium or sedatives... But in the hard core reality that comes through high price and effort....

[Jess]

This is a very interesting poem. I have never read anything like this that I can recall. Very fresh and innovative. Wonderful job!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

really like this...Elvis was my hero when i was 6 years old, I got his "Hound Dog"/ "Don't be Cruel" single and probably drove my parents nuts playing it and flipping it over time after time after time.
My godparents bought me all his singles as they came out.
He's gone yes...his memory isn't...and when our five minutes is up we can only hope to have good memories and have our record end with a really good closing line...and sharp melody.
j.

[Beccy]

And there was me thinking happiness was fifteen minutes of fame; ah well...

Beccy. :))