Poem 420

‘Know thyself’ is pretty much the theme here, and the necessity of stopping long enough to do that …

( I like the unwieldy title, perhaps my longest, and the good rhythm and rhyme – particularly that I reverse the rhymes on the guys’ names (second stanza rhyming off Mike, fifth stanza rhyming off Jim) … it’s those little things that can be most satisfying … )

Pulling Off The Road To Ruin For A Night In The Motel Of Self Indulgence

You spread a mesh of appointments
to catch yourself if you fall
but the weekend opens before you
a particularly hungry hole

will you go out with Jimmy
will you go out with Mike
will you stay home all alone
and give yourself little frights

your friends don't want you with them
they've managed to make that clear
no longer prepared to suffer
certain afflictions you hold dear

can you wait until Monday
can you make it as far as the shrink
do you need to call a few people
to ask them what they think

will you go out with Michael
will you go out with Jim
they're both as bad as each other
but you've got to be in to win

you're safe with all your appointments
soothed by the professional touch
you're the last person you want to talk to
that's why you avoid it so much