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.