Solitaire

A choice of one?

                                  How can I confine this conversation

  to the inane?

  I woke up this morning

  and you wanted to talk about everything

  at once,

  which is good and fine

  but there is much to be done.

                                       I have to wash and dress,

                                       then there is the ritual

                                       of coffee-making,

                                ruminating on toast,

  inspecting the latest bloomings

                                       of hibiscus and honeysuckle

                                       - and cherries are waiting to be picked

                               before the birds arrive.

                                       Your need for solace

                                       has to be prioritised

                                       into the right place on the list,

                                       so if you can restrain yourself

                                       we might wait

                               until after I speak

  with someone friendly

                               and less demanding

  outside my head.

 

Reviews

[Beccy]

I liken the muse to my alter ego; when she takes over, the real world is indeed excluded. I keep a notebook and pen permanently with me and when inspiration strikes, nothing else matters save putting the words onto paper before they slip from sight.

Very much enjoyed this. Beccy.

[Einstein Noodle]

ahahaha! you are so English!! i love your poem; and to the last, experienced every word .. but my experience is not inside my head ;) and i am the culprit .. rising very early in morn and when my beautiful Norma hits the floor i am all a flutter with all kinds of important things .. must confess tho i have learned :} .. its only a bit of minutes on the hour and we are one once again .. so enjoy your stuff!
E.

[Kelly Scheppers]

I MUST have my coffee, elpronto, so that takes precedence over everything else in the morning! I don't even conversate with another, other than my cats. Somehow, having coffee in my pajamas, as opposed to waiting and dressing and washing first, just goes down better and puts me in a pleasant mood.

I love your morning inspection of hibiscus and honeysuckle...flowers are so welcoming, no matter what time of the day.

Good reading you again, Pete...I hope the new year treats you most kind!

My best,
Kelly

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i love this...i feel it is a conversation with the muse----she is demanding and wants to take over...
sometimes she is more demanding than friendly....

[Pete Langley]

Yes mate.....the bane of the poet .....too much going on. As a practical man, I try to keep the `word box` tidy, but it keeps spilling.

[bob]

*Great structure and vivid imagery. I don't know if this was your intention, but I found that you have included an interesting religious dynamic towards the centre of the poem. '[W]ash and dress', 'ritual' and 'ruminating' conjured the image of a mantra, yet this is followed by a sense of imprisonment creating a clever irony.*

[Pete Langley]

Yes, Joe.....I think you`re right about the mantra. It`s the basis of pragmatism, the routine of everyday equilibrium, especially for a creative mind. I think I wrote this piece to try to recognise the schizoid element in creativity ....how easy it is to become immersed in an idea to the exclusion of the `real` world. Thanks kindly for visiting and for your thoughts, Joe. P.