A TEASPOON FULL OF POSSIBILITIES

 

 

maybe
when i am an old man
i will learn to sip slowly the seconds
poured out in fine china teacups
with my extended pinkie pointing toward magnetic north

 

but for now
i toss back this cheap bourbon-of-an-angry-god-filled shot glass second
until my head swims and my knees quiver and my insolent yalp is heard by the moon and shunned by the stars
causing well-meaning-mothers to shuffle their children to the other side of the street

 

when my brain is condemned
because it has accommodated one too many bar-room-fight-cowboy-thoughts
armed with jackhammers and bottle-smashing-desire
i will regret it
and i will embrace that regret
with the strength of a father’s oxygen-robbing-bear-grip-hug
and welcome it
with the compassion of a mother’s infinite-tireless-always-a-bed-here forgiveness

 

maybe
when i am an old man
unable to find the spectacles roosting upon my narrow nose
carefully placing that slowly-sipped-china-teacup-moment in the kitchen sink
casually glancing into the empty yard
your smoky eyes will stare back at me
briefly in the window’s reflection
and i will be tempted to think that no time has passed
and that the fleeting years were all a momentary fancy
and i will love once again
however briefly
your beatific portrait framed
within the cracked-painted-window-pane

 

maybe
when i am an old man
searching for my obituary in the morning paper
finally throwing into the fire
the clipped headlines pasted in my scrapbook of sorrows
dissecting my life like a frog upon the table
i will discover that i could have scurried though this life
free from all regrets
and a surprised tear will leak from my antique eyes

 

but maybe
i will weep
for the loss of my ledger of laments
and discover that having no regrets
is in itself regretful
and in that moment find the slippery-soap-bar-shalom
that has eluded the touch of my searching fingers
slowly breathing in deep the dense-vapor-filled-maybe of that moment

 

Reviews

[Emily B]

tip-toeing through some golden-oldies this morning and found my way here . . . cheers

[Greg Skura]

This is a very powerful poem so full of imagery and depth!! Thank You for sharing!

[Tara Jean Olson]

this drew me to self-realization. it caused me to reminisce, and it brought up feelings, and a sentiment
that i could relate to. this will be a favorite.

[dessy]

I love the mother and father references, it brings a cyclical value to the poem. my favorite line "with the strength of a father's oxygen-robbing-bear-grip-hug" due to the unique descriptives. well done!

[Emily B]

oh, wow!