the shallow poet's bucket list

the shallow poet's bucket list

 

 

i spit on meaning

want to write poems

about nothing that mean nothing

 

don't want beauty either

to hell with imagery

alliteration

anything that shines a light

 

want to write poems

about nothing that mean nothing

 

don't want abstract, contract

or cataracts from too much reading

or thinking or expecting then rejecting

ideas

 

just want to write words

and words and more words

to fill a space

not an emptiness of heart

or soul

but i want control

of syllables, put a lasso around them

keep them so simple

they are meaningless

but just fill a space

a page

 

a little butter on the clutter

to slide them all into a verse

to curse all of the metaphors

allegories

and meanings between the lines

i don't care if it is a strict yellow line

i don't want to cross it

with anything that has thesis

or jesus ties

 

just want lies

that nothing matters

and what i write

are poems 

about nothing that mean nothing

 

then i could die happy

without a care in the world

as i spit on meaning

clutching my Thesaurus

with my cold bones.

 

erin-cilberto

12/20/24

Reviews

[Soren]

There are an ocean of these poets out there and I have read some and their water leaves me thirsty. It is salt water in a large sea of poems but then who am I to judge art is in the eye of the beholder and there are many fish that do quite well in a salty sea. Lovely write Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Poetry is definitely in the eye of the reader!
thank you, Soren,
j.

[Red Brick Keshner]

Oh, beautiful and brief, Soren (Paton my cutting in,j; Christmas you see) an excellent analogy, oh that we like the salmon could be born in fresh water but lives to ride the sea!

[Dara]

You definitely give ‘food for thought’ here Jacob. This was a fun write to read and very clever. Sometimes I am afraid I write too often with my heart on my sleeve but if you just love words maybe writing about ‘nothing’ isn’t all bad? Well, just a thought I had. Happy New Year! Be safe.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Dara...and yes, "writing about nothing isn't all that bad!

[Dylan Macadham]

Bare bones writing, distilled to Meaningless!
Love the concept,
Well writ :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Dylan,
j.

[redzone]

Why is it that in life, so often, we do not get what we want? Take your poem, please... er... couldn't resist the Henny Youngman reference. Anyway, your desire for poems that mean nothing, says a lot about the writer. And in this regard "means" something to the reader. The most famous TV show about "nothing" (Seinfeld) couldn't help itself and say plenty about many things. Some important, some, WTF could sum them up, but every show had a message about something. Science teaches us that even in a vacuum, there is something. Again, anyway, your poem, in the context of the world that we live in affects our everything, there are often times when all we want is a sunny day at the beach. Just to relax, watch the Terns scrambling across the sand, play tag with the waves, just enjoy the warm sand between our toes and have no other thoughts than happy ones. We desire, as well as need to have these "empty days".

But, and it's a BIG BUT, life interjects, and we are forced to confront it in one way or another. Even our escapes have meaning as they can allow the ugliness to continue by our absence. And our words have meaning to those around us as well as to ourselves. Whether we want to be, or not, we are part of a world community of human beings, what we do and or say, matters.

Your poem reminds me of that Peter Gabriel / Kate Bush song, "Don't Give Up". There's a lot of meaning in this song, and even written in the '80s, could be sung today. One final word(s), as poets, we have even more of a responsibility to speak, to write, to show what could be possible and how to get there. Besides, it is impossible to write about nothing, there are just too many words out there to ignore.
-Curt

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, we do need some empty days...I loved Henny. "I take my wife everywhere, but she still follows me home."
And I love both Gabriel and Bush....I wonder if she is still Running up that Hill!!

[Pryde Foltz]

Oh, this good. Found myself nodding along in agreement as I read, but of course when it comes time to pen ... the metaphors have me ... like you. As always such a joy to read your:)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, kind poet, for your words,
j.

[Titilayo Sarah Eguridu]

I am breathless from chasing after the subtle fury dripping with sarcasm.
It okay to feel this way.
I once read that if you stand for nothing ,it means you stand for everything.
When a poet writes, he is a god and can choose what and how to clothe his words.
It’s his or her prerogative.
The world would be terribly colorless if we all write the same way.
I admire your works but don’t have your pool of experiences and expertise to write like you…
So when I want a buffet…
I read other works from other writers.
It’s all about embracing creative diversity.
You made me reflect deeply.
Happy Holidays Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, creative diversity...I agree...and some poets unfortunately in criticisms try to get other poets to write like they themselves do...and that puts a cog into that diversity.
thank you, Titilayo.
j.

[Titilayo Sarah Eguridu]

Please Erin keep doing you.
Nobody can craft your stories like you.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

The ending just loved. Clutching your thesaurus!

I Hope you had a lovely Xmas Jacob !

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Was peaceful...thank you, Julie.
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob... we may never know the Joy of Dancing in the Sky... or
knowing Why... However, I know now what Words can mean when Life is lonely and Pain becomes an Aperitif to Reality. My bones ache and I forget to Dream.
Please continue to teach us to feel the tears that keep us Alive to be All that we can be... and even more... when muscles are sore. We can always compose Songs that will become our Destiny. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... Always, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Hope you had a Merry and a Happy, Pat,
and thanks for your words,
j.

[John the Baptist]

You been reading Bukowski again?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I despise him.
An abusive drunk and to me, a very average writer with a crazy big following....
j.

[Red Brick Keshner]

What is it that many call a process similar to this? verbal vomiting? It sounds jarring to read that phrase ‘v.v.’ But the underlying meaning has a much better denotative meaning. For many I am guessing letting it all out by any means is the only way to exist… it seems this goes for all art forms as well, existing to express there not being enough time and opportunity to give it all out.pardon the rambling, j. Christmas’hangover’

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I really appreciate your response to this piece, Freds,
thank you,
j.