Tag: tuesday

Posted on

Twofer Tuesday Poetry: White Elephants in the Cider House & Closing Time for Steve

White Elephants in the Cider House

I’m against abortion
I’m against the death penalty
I’m against all killing
I won’t even squash a bug
But I can’t stop anyone
From having an abortion
Just like I can’t stop
Anyone from committing murder

The thought of having a child
Or aborting it is
A difficult decision
Not an easy choice; certainly
But if one decides
To do it
I want them 
To be safe

I knew a girl
Who had an abortion
When she was 16
She was young
Made a mistake
And had to
Make a tough choice
Altering the rest of her life

I knew a girl
Who decided to
Abort her child
When she was in college
She wasn’t ready for kids
And didn’t want to quit school
She’s dealing with post-traumatic stress
For killing her child

I knew a girl
Who got pregnant
By a married man
He forced her to abort
So no one would discover
He had been unfaithful
She did it because
She thought she loved him

I used to say abortion
Should be okay for rape victims
But I thought that child
Born under horrible circumstances
Could grow up and make
The world a better place
I will never take away someone’s
Right to make that choice

I will always advocate
Against abortion and
Any kind of killing
But if I know someone
Who makes that choice
I will stand beside them
And support them
With their difficult decision

Closing Time with Steve

The digital sign reads closed
And the automatic locks turn on
It’s 10 p.m. and the general store is closed
But Steve’s day isn’t done
He must count the receipts
And fix any errors before
Plugging in and sleeping for the night
The math is easy for a machine
But his battery doesn’t last
As long as it used to
He’ll have to call a repair bot
And have them tinker while he works
He can’t take time off
His fellow mechanoids need to shop

From the poetry collection Men Are Garbage.

Posted on

Twofer Tuesday Poetry: I Am Garbage & Depression

I Am Garbage

I remember
In my 20’s
I said things
I thought were funny
I thought they
Made me funny
I felt clever and fun and accepted
My jokes were
Bad and wrong
Everyone thought
I was sexist
A misogynist
A rapist
A serial killer
I stopped making jokes
I keep my hands
To myself
I watch what I say
Trying to be respectful
It’s been 10 years
People still hate me
They still think
I kill hookers
And hide the bodies
A dumb kid’s mistakes
Never go away

Depression

How far into the darkness do you want to go?
How far away from happiness will you venture?
You’ll never survive the shadows behind my eyes.
My own black forest made of sorrow and despair.
On the outside, I project happiness and fun.
Believe I’m easygoing, lighthearted, and free.
This is an illusion. It’s a mask that I wear.
You can’t comprehend when your thoughts turn against you.
You’ll feel nothingness, loneliness, and worthlessness.
You’ll feel these every day and hide it from others.
You’ll hope if you hide them enough they’ll go away.
You’ll stare out of the darkness wishing to escape.

From the poetry collection Men Are Garbage.

Posted on

Twofer Tuesday Poetry: Neckties Are Just Arrows Pointing at Your Dick & Toxic

Neckties Are Just Arrows Pointing at Your Dick

I did this job once
Direct marketing
Which is just a 
Fancy way to say sales
I hated it – 

I had to wear
A button up shirt
Nice pants
And a lanyard name badge
No necktie
“Out in the field”

I went to the office
Dressed as required
Other men
Would have ties and jackets
Which they took off
Before going
“Out in the field”

This felt counter-productive
Why put it on
Just to take it off

They asked to see me
When I picked up my first check
“You’re doing well”
“Keep it up”
All that jazz

“Do you have a tie”
“Yeah”
“You need to start wearing it to the office”
I didn’t go in the next day

They didn’t make the women
Wear ties and jackets

I don’t understand
How a necktie
Makes you look
More professional
Than having no tie

They’re uncomfortable
And inappropriate
Just a pointer, a beacon
For your crotch

Are you so insecure
You need to draw attention to it

Neckties are ridiculous
And the world
Doesn’t need them
However

Bow ties are cool

Toxic

If you seek power over others
If you seek to own others
If you seek control over others
You’re not a man
You’re a sociopath
Women can be sociopaths too
Sociopaths are the rapists
The racists, the ravenous
Consumers of society
Do not let their behavior
Continue

From the poetry collection Men Are Garbage.