Friday, April 05, 2024

Stone Soup Croutons, 4-3-24: Mourning Commute


Stone Soup Croutons is a weekly poem I write using lines and impressions selected from Stone Soup Poetry's open mic readers and features. I figure out a title (and sometimes the rest of the poem) later. You can read the other ones I've done since 2015 here.
 
I also have a book collecting the best of my first year of poems. Click here to purchase it.
 
Happy National Poetry Month. Rich Boucher started us out in style. One of the funnest online open mics I've been part of. There was even dancing. Another perfect night I had little to do with. Listen to Rich read and buy his book.
 
This poem was as much fun to write as I knew it would be. Been seeing a lot more Palestine graffiti while walking to work. That and the recent bombing of people dispensing food gave a jolt to this. Kind of new what the ending was going to be like because of Rich's set. Just needed the rest of the readers to give it form.

Thanks for reading.

 
Mourning Commute
 
Latest overheard ear worm
in coffee shop could stay 
in head long enough to 
cross Rio Grande. Anything
to drown out those dying
in background. Refusing 
to learn names makes them
resurrect and scream tomorrow.
Like a million kids out for 
afternoon recess in a minefield.
Would sacrifice favorite 
childhood mascot or scorch 
local earth for moment of silence,
minute to dance to lack of echo
in conscience. But now time 
gets fickle enough to make clock
as much as meaningless totem
as cross, blinks and makes entry
into work late. Job begins badly,
patrons hurl blame as if candy
hearts. All line up to be the Dad
no one needs. No time for porn
on work WiFi. Only enough for
only rebellious morning thought,
asking why all world's bombs
never hit where they're needed.
 
 

Special thanks to Mark States, Ken Johnson, Jan Rowe, Bill Nevins, Erica Deweese, Bil Lewis, Bob Reeves, Trey Gring, Jonathan S. Baker, Ethan Mackler, Bram MacLihr, Marissa Prada, James Van Looy and special feature Rich Boucher.

1 comment:

Ken Johnson said...

In a war for peace
Where's a bomb really needed?
You step on a mine.