Marmalade asphalt dreams in retrograde...‏

built on dreams of marmalade asphalt

    reflections of life's endless stock options

intentions wither in brick-a-brac dwellings

    burnt bridges falling down on unicorn horns

uncle sam flipped the script in the cul-de-sac

   bust a rhyme on suburbia's white picket castles

stoked in stupefied highs of liberty's promises

  meeting the minimum quota's requirements

         five figures lost its notarization's appraisal 

 star buck zombies dying, falling for

             the bitter taste of de jour's grind

    meditating on a higher power's absurdity

skyscrapers blowing judgmental hot air 

    whoring for spotlight's front page headlines

morning paper's spread over junkyard's lawns

  home sweet home collapsed in foreclosure's clauses

earth spun out of control in malnutrition's churning

    green faded on horizon's grass roots

      sinking in facades of reality's retrograde  

Author's Note

captcha ~wekidu

Reviews

[kublakhan27]

I think I've been out-Dali-ed by Mrs.R haha...I don't really do politics, but the undercurrents of alienation, and the despondency of having big dreams and settling for less (all reinforced in the song)...well, this poem is just what the doctor ordered for me...even the most generic of life's stock options feel inaccessible to me...I think my stock market crashed recently...sometimes, actually most of the time, I feel like those skyscrapers, waiting with bells on to w***e myself for those front page headlines...wow, this is one powerful piece...I was gonna say that this is you at your best, but when have you not been at your best? Every single piece opens my mind, then blows it away...and I'm still trying to get my bearings back from your most recent dose of mind-blowing :) xo

[Frieda P]

NEVER happen Benji! Ha....I don't usually do politics or religion either but sometimes the adgeda gets overwhelming! You know I'm gonna frame this review dontcha? Mwah! xo

[kublakhan27]

Haha I only speak from the inspiration you give me Mrs.R, mwah :) xo

[redzone]

It started with genocide, then slavery this "dream" has always been a nightmare for most of humanity .. the meat grinder spits out a few whole and people think, "see, it works"!! Someone said let them eat cake! Frieda, you updated this to, let them eat asphalt?! ... with marmalade .. loved your poem Frieda. Ii have been forced to kiss the asphalt to have any illusions about this "dream" ~~redzone

[Frieda P]

Yeah exactly, 'meat grinder' works well in this context. I don't even like cake. Thanks muchly my sweet friend...

[Leigh]

You are a mega writer. Your rapid and witty commentary on such a big and depressing theme explains the unsustainable and hollow dream quite clearly and how unreachable it is for the vast majority/almost everyone. Marmalade asphalt is like candy clouds and puts the surreal and even the psychedelic firmly in mind, it took me back to the 1960s

[Frieda P]

Wow thanks so much for this glowing review Leigh, much appreciated.

[Baby Ricochet]

There's some really good lines in this. L liked the whoring for spot lights/ morning paper spread over junk yards lines best. Good one Frieda

[Frieda P]

Funny thing Mark, I was half way through writing this and I thought to myself, I'm starting to sound like Baby. :)

[Beccy]

It has got all rather frantic hasn't it. Seems to be same all over. I just pray the wheel doesn't entirely come off before a higher being decides enough is enough and restores sanity to the world.
Then again, look what we did last time.

Beccy.

[Frieda P]

Indeed it has, and I'm with you on that...thanks so much Beccy.

[willweb]

I does seem that dream fades a little more each day. I really liked Marmalade asphalt. What a picture in my mind. This was wonderful Frieda P. Kind of sad, but very good. I read this twice.

[Frieda P]

Thanks Will, seems to be a sign of the times...I don't see it getting any better soon....

[J. K. Beach]

You are right, Frieda, things are really bad an you have expressed it so eloquently (sugar coated it real nice) I think even little kids are cluing in. I caught a little snippet of song from my neighbor's child the other day... She was swinging and singing something that went like this:

Cloudy day
driving the sun away
On my way to where the
air's no treat

Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Marmelade Street

Come on I say
The asphalt's hot today
Daddy's loans are sinking in
And we can't walk away

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Marmalade Street

Come and pay
Everything's tax and play
Foreclosed neighbors gone
where we can't meet

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Marmalade Street . . .

And she went on and on and on!
I'm thinking she might grow up to be a poet just like you...

[Matching Socks]

Not bad, show off, not bad at all. :)

[Frieda P]

Wow, seriously...that's too funny, not haha funny, but for a kid....geez. They're definitely in tune to the times today...it's a crying shame. Thanks for sharing this J.K.

[Matching Socks]

Lol! :) Frieda... You're so cute. xx

[Frieda P]

You think he was making it all up? haha

[Matching Socks]

Is this sung to the tune of Sesame Street by chance?

[J. K. Beach]

Yeah, I know it's cheap whiskey, but that Marmalade Street just got sticky in my head... Sorry!

[Frieda P]

So you blamed the kid HA.....you're twisted.

[J. K. Beach]

Sesame Street? Why yes Anče, didn't you get that show across the frozen border?

[J. K. Beach]

Twisted? Always!

[Frieda P]

Oooh the flirt is frisky today....

[Frieda P]

That's what I like about you....ha

[J. K. Beach]

I don't know about frisky, but I only flirt with the smart girls ;)

[Frieda P]

Ha a clever flirt at that!

[Matching Socks]

Ok, jeez, I'm leaving now, umm... can someone tell me how to get, how to get... back to work.
read moreOk, jeez, I'm leaving now, umm... can someone tell me how to get, how to get... back to work.
Later kids. Mature woman is exiting now. xx (one for each)

[J. K. Beach]

OK, I've probably scuffed your asphalt enough with my vainglorious words... I'm off to read some more...

[Frieda P]

Ha copy cat! ;P

[Matching Socks]

Jeez, rewind to 2006/7 when the (unnamed) financial institutions were underwriting mortgages that ppl couldn't afford. Even before that actually...

Too loose lending policies, bad re-investments, homes lost, dreams crushed...

It's a poem that sounds pretty but is very serious. In fact, wrapped in pretty was how they delivered the news initially, not wanting to tell the whole truth, for fear of mass panic and triggering (the inevitable...) market collapse.

Bah, mini rant. Sorry.

Let me try again:

Beautifully written, emotionally charged, good flow, thought provoking piece with fantastic imagery. ;)

[Frieda P]

I would have been quite content with the rant, but carry on. ;) Thanks so much Ance....

[Matching Socks]

It's should be green apple marmalade, the colour of money. :)
Great poem. ;)

[Frieda P]

Sounds really unappetizing, not the money part ;)

[David Scott]

This poetry does not jump out and "tell" me what you are thinking. You are ambiguous to a point. What I did get was a strong impression of a feeling. You show me flash cards of disillusions and do not try to explain the how and the why of it for me. You simply "show" me the emotion of your perceptions in regard to America's present culture.
Interesting write Frieda. Depressing a little bit, but interesting. ;)
Much love dear friend.

[Frieda P]

I figured you'd come to your own conclusions, you know I like to tease you doc. ;) Thanks, muchly enjoyed your thoughts. MWAH! Love ya Scott.

[David Scott]

I am thankful for your teasing and your friendship.

[Sami Khalil]

The concrete and asphalt jungle, the lost American dream to so many people, the fake page headlines for quick money, bridges falling, shoddy products and so forth.We all need to demand quality of information as well as construction of our dreams with authenticity of the American values. Excellent...:)........

[Frieda P]

Hmm I'd say most of us here are in the 'working stiff' majority, and losing ground fast....! For shame...thanks Sami :)

[Sami Khalil]

You are right. Welcome muchly...........:).................