I don’t remember asking for
a poor man’s life
of labor or
ever being offered
any other numbered door.
The world can shift into reverse
and purest things
become perverse -
I suppose,
all things considered,
something always could be worse.
If I don’t work then I don’t eat
my shoes are falling
off my feet
sick of rice and beans
but can’t afford the price of meat.
No shackles ever bound my wrist
I don’t have
an oncologist -
I suppose,
all things considered,
I’ve been fairly fortune-kissed.
Sinking deeper into debt
piling up
some more regret -
fair to say I can’t complain
but it hasn’t stopped me yet.
Hurling through the atmosphere
the astronauts
drink freeze dried beer –
I suppose,
all things considered,
that I’m better off down here.
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yep, back by - um - no particular demand - this little book. 50 poems and a glossy cover - i mean, why not?
thank you, Lin
much obliged, Lin
thank you, K. and Karen
thank you, Karen
thanks, Jannie!
I know. Lame.
sorry, friends. seems i'm not going to be able to do much reading / writing / interwebbing for a while. . so, um, sorry. again. i'll try to catch up with you later.
joaquin carvel
wanna buy a book?
yep, back by - um - no particular demand - this little book. 50 poems and a glossy cover - i mean, why not?
trip the blogs fantastic
- Catvibe Creative
- Chick With A Quill
- Dreams, Deliriums, and Other Mind Talk
- Flash Fiction
- Gabriel Gadfly
- In Search of Giants
- Ink Champagne
- Jannie Funster
- Keeping Secrets
- Life and Times of a Sometime Poet
- Mearcstapa's Poems
- Melody of Dissonance
- Moanerplicities
- murmurs
- Old Mossy Moon
- Peony Moon
- Rivers I Have Known
- Secret Poems from the Times Literary Supplement
- Signed...bkm
- The Buffaloe Pen
- The Chocolate Chip Waffle
- The Clarity of Night
- the distance to here
- The odds are good, but the goods are odd
- The Quiet Cartesian
- The Trouble With Being Imperfect
- The Waxing Moon
- Tuesday Poem
- Unguarded Utterance
- Unhinged...Seriously
- Utopian Fragments
- Word Garden
Poetica Etcetera
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Thank You Note
thanks for dropping by, for reading, and especially if you've left a comment - thank you. compliments, criticism or critique *-they are gifts, and they are appreciated.
that is all.
*seriously. don't worry about it. tell me what you think.
that is all.
*seriously. don't worry about it. tell me what you think.
Maladies Love Company
Almost Famous (Awards)
thank you, Lin
much obliged, Lin
thank you, K. and Karen
thank you, Karen
thanks, Jannie!
(Not an Award.)
12 comments:
A song for the common man (or woman...). I'm glad I don't have to drink freeze dried beer, although I think I wouldn't mind having some of that view from up there! At least for a moment or two, then, yeah, this is a good place to be and many of us are pretty darned blessed. Not rich in money, but rich in so much. Ahhhh... Thanks JC. I needed that today.
"The world can shift into reverse
and purest things
become perverse -
I suppose,
all things considered,
something always could be worse."
In King Lear, one of the characters says to himself in an aside:
And worse I may be yet. The worst is not/So long as we can say "This is the worst."
That's always stuck with me. Things can be awful, but as long as we have the ability to even say so, it can't be the "the worst." Unfortunately, I don't think I believe that, even though I tell it to myself. Just like the speaker in your poem, I think I'm trying to convince myself. Like the little "train that could", telling ourselves "I think I can" over and over sometimes gets us through. One of my good friends always says, "Fake it till you make it." I think that's your message here, too.
I love the title and the way you make me think about this. Sorry for all the quotes from others, but apparently, your universal theme has inspired many of these thoughts in many thinkers, great and small. Et all!
"The world can shift into reverse
and purest things
become perverse -
I suppose,
all things considered,
something always could be worse." -- Love it, Joaquin!
I suppose, All things considered--again, I love your use of repetition. I sense that he feels the truth from that angel on his shoulder, while also feeling somewhat restless and resentful that he must acknowledge it. It's always easier to see what we lack than what we have, especially in such dire straits. But I love that he's struggling to shape his perspective.
In other words, what Karen said. ;)
I love the stanza she picked out best, too. There's something especially gut-twisting about the soiling of our purest aspirations.
All things considered, I am glad you are here. Wouldn't like it any other way! :D
Though I still keep on singing: 'Take me to the Paradise city, where the grass is green and girls are pretty!'
When I was a child we had an album, constantly played, of Andy Stewart's take on your poem. It was often quoted about the house.
"Nae sae bad, that's what they say,
Nae sae bad, every day,
It's never not so good it's not so bad....
It won't cause a great sensation but sums up the situation
For no matter what it is, it's nae sae bad!"
As Karen said, It's a universal theme, and a nice take on it. An optimist's take. Even the rhymes and the rythm of it say nae to the pessimist's point of view.
"the purest things become perverse" -oh so very true, pride mixed with purity equals perversity -
contentment the largest lesson here along with thankfulness --
I love the rhythm of this poem. It conveys its truth in an almost playful way that fits perfectly the philosophy behind it.
Have you been reading my journal? Ha! Ha! Those first two stanzas are my world. I love the way the speaker begins with a bit of "attitude," which is what people like me usually have:) But in the second verse, the speaker realizes that it could be worse.
That's a constant dialogue I have with myself. I really am very fortunate. Hell, I even went to dah skools for free! You are right. Still, like the narrator of the poem, I grapple with the emotions. And like the narrator, I come to the conclusion that I'm "better off down here." I love the double meaning in that line.
Awesome poem, Joaquin. This is a very timely piece, too. It can apply to now or to any age. As always, you hit me in the gut. As always, I can relate to what you're writing about. Either I'm going through it or I have known someone who has, etc.
I love the soul in your work. The human element. The heartbeat. It is real.
cat - you're right - always pros and cons - i'm glad it found you in the right spot. :)
karen - i guess it isn't earth shattering, but i think you're right -it is pretty universal. thank you - i actually like the quotes a lot - if it's good enough for billy shakes, it's good enough for me!
sarah - thank you - i think it usually feels like just a tug-o-war, but like you point out, it's (hopefully) a process too.
aniket - back atcha! thank you -and, if you'll excuse me, i need to kick out some old school g&r now...
mari - hi! thanks for dropping in and for the lyric - i don't think i really realized (until after i posted) how this is probably just another version of dozens (hundreds?) of songs /stories - but i guess if they can write that many, there must be something to 'em. (not that i can't be pessimistic at times - but i prefer not to lodge there.)
soulintention - yes, thankfulness - even when one resents it a little - helps even the keel, i think. thank you for that. ("pride mixed with purity equals perversity" - wow!)
vesper - thank you - i guess one can't get too serious when one is arguing with oneself.
julie - only a little here & there ;) i'm glad i'm not the only one who ping-pongs through this dialouge - but at the end of the day, it seems there is always more to be grateful for than to grumble about. thank you for being a consistent part of the former.
Hey, life can't be that bad if we're not drinking freeze dried beer, right!?!? lol. Great humor.
Freeze dried beer? Hey, any beer is good beer. Just add water?
Oh and rice and beans can be a feast. You might fart like a bastard but protein is protein.
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