a wealth of nothing

a wealth of nothing

 

 

 

how much would this poem cost

if I wrote it?

we could haggle over intellectual property

 

I could patent the title

put the last line in a lock box

and bank on you reading me

 

into your heart

but I cannot afford your affection

you've priced it out of my range

 

I am just a poor sinner

too poor to express

 

my tongue is rank

of syllabic distaste

 

I grip firmly my bottle of what's it

pour it over the empty page

 

and close my account...

insufficient relevance.

 

 

erin-cilberto

2/21/22

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

If you can't afford her affection, closing the account is the best course. Who knows, someday she might put everything on sale.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yeah, a garage sale....my heart sold for a quarter.
thank you, John,
j.

[Patricia]

You know…the more I write the more I feel like this. I never assigned self worth to anything I ever did in my life except nursing but writing has become like that now that I’m not nursing. I can begin to understand this feeling with writing….great expressive writing as always

[jacob erin-cilberto]

poets understand other poets...
at least we hope to,
thank you, Patricia
j.

[Bee Oxford]

Hi I absolutely love this poem. It is clear you have been writing poetry for some time and are very skilled at it, I would love to be able to write a poem like this one day. I especially like the line "put the last line in a lock box and bank on you reading me" the whole thing is beautiful thanks for sharing.

-Bee

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, Bee,
j.

[AJNJ]

Always a sad feeling when love and affection feels out of our reach. I relate at so many levels. Great poem sir.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, AJ,
j.

[AYVID N]

So much of our relevance is determined by those we care about. I feel that the value we affix on our art is very proportional to the appreciation of it by others. A poem to me in a most basic sense is our intuitive way of reaching out. As long as the words are there in the lock box.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

your review is better than the poem.
thanks for your words, DIVYA,
j.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

The relevance of elephants is packed away in trunks/ and if they could write poetry their poems would be slam dunks./ Because they say their memories are so fantastic, yes?/ But think of all the nepenthe found in forgetfulness... Just come over here and sit with us other poor sinners on the bench marked "Group W" and we'll listen to Arlo play a song for us. But please don't close this account. Who else would or could tolerate my particular breed of insanity if you were to go? Besides, one man's nothing is another man's bounty. Bless, F.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Fabian,
j.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Thank you for yours, my friend.