THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT
I worry about my head. I worry: Is it June
or is it December? I worry whether the stress
on my brain is greater when the moon
waxes or when it wanes. I howl. I obsess
about everything: cracks in the sidewalk, a snake
in the grass. Sneakers or boots? It's never moot
whether we come or go, eat bread or eat cake.
Life's little -ifuls (merc, bount-, beaut-)
are no tethers to keep me secure. Did Garbo
is the thing, what's not? From Cairo to Hobo-
ken, my anxious nose sniffs, sniffs: Is day
better than night? Jeans with this or rhinestones?
And those terrorists. And perfume or cologne?
I can't believe you wrote this as a bouts rimés! It certainly fits the list format! Thank you so much for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteBTW - We stretch every Monday if you feel like joining us again.
Mondays sound like a very good day to stretch! Will do.
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! Makes me feel like doing something too--and I'm no poet.
ReplyDeleteHi, Julie. This is wonderful. You're quite amazing. :-) My favorite line? The one about the -ifuls!! Very clever.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you joined us with this fabulous poem! I really love the last line - it draws me further on. You really did a great job with the rhymes too.
ReplyDeleteJulie,
ReplyDeleteGreat poem! I hope you'll join us in a Poetry Stretch again!
Thank you, all! If you work with a writing group, just give this exercise a try - it's so much fun to see what everyone comes up with, given the same end rhymes. If you know six people, each person can put in one rhyme (like stress/obsess) which leaves one last pair of words that can be wild cards. You end up with 14 words and then it's up to you - Elizabethan, Petrachan, whatever order you like.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely going to try to Stretch on Mondays, Elaine.
This is excellent, a list poem that feels like real poetry!
ReplyDelete