Corned Beef and Beans

four minute warning?

She has prepared for this moment

all her married life,

has squirrelled away beneath the stairs

every manner of supplies

corned beef ,beans and bottled water.

A full inventory of stock

as specified back

when Armageddon loitered

on every corner.

Though the tins are a little dusty

they are in date

more than can be said of

the plastic cutlery

a very sixties orange,

new age at the time but

vaguely nauseating now.

She tries to recall where

she is supposed to sit

Under the table?

behind the settee?

If only she had paid

better attention

In the end she grabs a duvet

and pillows down behind the sofa

noting with distaste the gathered dust.

Closing her eyes she prays

to each deity that comes to mind

as the walls around her melt,

and her molecules become one

with the corned beef and beans.

Author's Note

written whilst pondering all the government advice on nuclear survival over the years

Reviews

[.]

~ the sword of nuclear weapons still hangs on our heads... one can only hope that no one who has them gets provoked into using them... ~ this is a very compelling piece of writing... by the time i reached the end of the last stanza, the gravity of the times we live in hit me like a bullet in the head... (in a good way :P)... ~ all we have is one vote... and with that we elect someone who may or may not play a role in ensuring world peace... it's an eerie life...

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

I absolutely love, love, love (did I say love?) the way I never know what to expect when I come to your portfolio! The title of this drew me in (you have great titles!) but I wasn't expecting this...don't know what I did expect, but you did a double wow on me. This is so creepy and yet not, so relevant, and...well, I am rambling now...hopefully, you can see that I really enjoyed it! You are so good!

[New Dawn]

Thank you - wanted to blend the surreal with the ordinary - everyday surroundings with a terrible moment. When I was a teenager every one expected this scenario to occur - in our new age of security we have forgotton it. Really glad you liked it - most people choose it for the title - my hope is they like it for itself once it's unwrapped :)

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

You did a great job!

[paradoxical]

Okay. This is going on my favorites list. Hello and thanks for sharing. I have no "critique". You wrote an amazing thing.

...I am probably the worst reviewer ever.lol

[Marie]

Excellent. Government has long been a source of misinformation.

[Cathy Wattam]

I really like this. Great description throughout. I especially like the final 5 lines. It is a good, thought-provoking poem.