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Monday, April 16, 2018

REQUIEM FOR THE LAST NORMAL MAN



1.

I've taken to writing my grocery lists
on the backs of my business cards
(I make better use of them that way)
and if I should happen to forget
and hand one out
at least the recipient knows the answer 
to the age-old question of
What's for dinner?

And how one longs for the days when

the man in aisle 5 talking to himself
was just your garden variety crazy
person and not some pussy-whipped
hubby taking orders from headquarters or
some Russian spy 
reporting to the White House

2.


The highest office 

for sale
to the lowest bidder 
while Joe Six-Pack grows so 
pious
worshiping flags
he's lost sight of the 
Grand Poobah
who transcends all this tribalism 

but even God knows

He's less sacred than
profane

3.


We gather by the river...


we're not praying

we're just wading in
and peeing 


4.

There's another kind of pollution

it is of the mind
it's seeped into the water supply
it's in the drinking water
it makes you paranoid 
to the point of nothing and
no one can be trusted
not even your own 

mom

you strongly suspect she's a
crisis actor on her days off
from the waffle house

the next stop for you is 

The Walking Dead


5.


I will admit it's getting

harder to identify
the good guys
it used to be so easy
they were the ones with
the white hats

6.


There's a deranged man

who shambles down my street
in the mornings
muttering
Take that shit to Valhalla!
while tugging on his crotch 

I feel that he's in contact
with unseen spirits
who know exactly what he's
talking about
but as for me
I wrack my brain daily
sifting through possible meanings

I know one day
that same flash of illumination
will arrive for me
being fully aware
that to get there
I'll have to follow
in his footsteps 

45 comments:

  1. ... definitely and wondrously true, AZ friend ... and dats how it is and dats how its gonna be, don't u know? ... because what the hell is ... "normal"? ... anyway ... Many meouws ... Love, cat.

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    Replies
    1. Those of us who have been around for a while remember "normal", but no one under 30 has any concept of it.

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  2. Love everything. Even the peeing

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    Replies
    1. I guess we've all waded into the river and done that at one time or another, eh, Angie?

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  3. Well! I found me a lot to giggle at . Pardon me

    (✿◠‿◠)

    much love...


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  4. This is some truth for our times!

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  5. I really loved this entire requiem - it was brilliant and unexpected, and definitely speaks of another time, when things made a hell of a lot more sense, even for the crazy man in aisle 5 - hell, he normal, and mostly harmless

    but I just totally lost it somewhere around here ... I mean, doubled over laughing, but also just savouring - this is mighty fine word play throughout -

    no one can be trusted
    not even your own

    mom
    you strongly suspect she's a
    crisis actor on her days off
    from the waffle house

    the next stop for you is
    The Walking Dead ....

    and yeah,

    Take that shit to Valhalla!
    while tugging on his crotch ....

    sorry man, but this guy is truth ... and it's the only way open to us now ...

    cheers! brilliant penning!

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    Replies
    1. Willow...you have so made my day with your comment...because you totally get it!

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  6. This is a great read Tim. Each part has a profound thought to impart, and I cannot select one that had less impact then the one before. Really good work.

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  7. I wish I didn't keep agreeing with every verse! Wonderful write.

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    Replies
    1. And I keep agreeing with everything you say, Rosemary! :)

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  8. I love this! Can you give us a poem about the trump phenomenon, please? I cant make sense of it.

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    Replies
    1. I'll have to give it some serious consideration, Sherry...though something like that is tricky, lest it turn into a full-blown rant--lol

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  9. I could, Sherry, but it would be a nonsensical poem--LOL

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  10. Oh my gosh, you are SO funny!

    I love #3, and this:

    "you strongly suspect she's a
    crisis actor on her days off
    from the waffle house"

    Also the first paragraph of #6.

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  11. I enjoyed this one 💜 and omg yes i too would love to hear a poem about trump phenomenon from you 😉

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    Replies
    1. I'll have to give that some thought, Sanaa!

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  12. Nice lines: "we're just wading in
    and peeing"

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  13. I love this and as commented above, love the peeing write (most excellent).
    I remember normal too...I like to think I still am, but maybe I'm deluding myself...
    Anna :o]

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for backing me up...we both remember normal, and what we have today ain't it.

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  14. That mind pollution is devastating but am laughing at item 3...

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    Replies
    1. We have many types of pollution...what we did in the river is just one of them :)

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  15. Very exhaustively treated Timoteo! Best of all they are tinged with lots of hidden humor. Enjoyed it!

    Hank

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  16. This made me smile and spoke to me. Especially #3. It says so much in so few words. Well done.

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  17. Normality is in the eye of the beholder... it was easier when there were white hats to tell us what..

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    Replies
    1. Yes it was. Now we have to use our own judgement, which often proves disastrous.

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  18. Wonderful read ... at times philosophical, at times hilarious, but always carrying us along to the next line!

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    1. That's how I roll...ha ha. Thanks for your comment!

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  19. It would be sad if it wasn't so funny! Your #1 and #4 are my faves...but who says we have to choose?! I think I remember "normal" :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lynn. Many of us remember normal, but we're disappearing fast!

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  20. Piss everywhere... It really stinks, doesn't it>

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  21. Pollution of our minds is the worst kind, for sure. This was so entertaining to read, each segment giving us another piece of....shall I say, "humourous seriousness." I remember normal too. It didn't involve people walking around sharing their personal conversations on a bluetooth. Those were the days.

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    Replies
    1. ...my friend/ we thought they'd never end...

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  22. Replies
    1. That's what the crazy guy on my street says too...LOL, Bekkie!

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