Yes, I’m changing.
With the ides of March upon me, I move to break through the slog of winter
I inhale the ash built up within my nostrils from months of darkness
And with a long exhale, I purge the gloom in and around me
No longer will I lust at a patty placed before me
Nay, I turn to green, covered in crocus
Each day, ever more gold
AABBCC AABBCC
The alarm rings at five. At first, I balk
Sleep I try, but I taste like chalk
Maybe too little cabbage the night before
Head spinning like a dumb carousel, around once more
Do I rise? Do I rest? Do I have a quest?
I look to the constellations, but in the end ask my guest
She beckons me to eat and, “Turn on some Bach.”
But as I scurry toward the kitchen, I smell a shock
My tuna can sits open! But my stomach begins to roar
This pungent delicacy of white albacore.
Open the windows, a conundrum addressed
All the neighbors know what I eat best!
Quiet is
Quiet is the power button on the remote that is just out of reach. Quiet is the friend you wish you spent more time with but can’t ever find it. Quiet is the early morning drive to the ocean to hit the water before first light and the other surfers that come with it. Quiet is the moment on the subway train when the only thing in the world is the beautiful woman’s face across from you. Quiet is just before the last pitch of the World Series. Quiet is in the eye.
Good morning, Mr. Grey!
This morning, Mr. Grey slowly rose out of his cot and sauntered to the coffee pot. The sun is out and the birds are chirping as Mr. Grey sips his brown drink in solitude before entering the world of vibrance and others. He showers, puts on his groutfit, and draws his blackout curtains. He opens up his laptop and logs on his Zoom work call.
“Good morning, Mr. Grey!” Ms. Yellow cheerfully exclaims.
“Hello, Yellow.”
“Are you having a great day thus far?”
“I woke up…”
“Well you look great!”
I don’t know how long I can keep this up.
“Grey, do you have those TPS reports ready to go?” asks Red.
“TPS reports? I don’t think I was told to have anything prepared.”
“Yeah, they were included in the memo that was sent out this morning.”
“Shit”
“What was that?”
“Nothing… I’ll have them over to you shortly.”
After Ms. Yellow and Mr. Green exchange ideas on the companies marketing efforts, Mr. Grey logs off the call, pours another cup of coffee and types out his TPS reports. He sends the email to Red, and leans back in his chair only for the wheels to slip out from beneath him. Before he slams onto the floor, Mr. Grey watches his coffee fly up and out of his hand, straight above his body before gravity does it’s job. I’m not even a primary color! What did I do?!
Hey, don’t do that!
Stop your reading for only a moment, close your eyes and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Did you feel that? Do you like to feel?
Remember how loud and hard you belted out “Landslide” in the car by yourself with your not-so-concert-quality voice? Don't you want that again?
What about the intellectual superiority you feel when playing a child in a game of Monopoly?
It’s the little things. Relish them.
Here comes the jesters, one, two, three...
The fleeting feeling of an unceremonious orgasm is shared only for a moment until you put on your Levi’s and head home to your oversized bed. Is that what you’re chasing? If so, then pursue it with vigor and make Casanova out to be a mere casual practitioner of promiscuity. But what else is there in a life denying monogamy? There are mountains to be climbed, people to be pleasured, pieces of art to be purchased and psychedelics to be experienced. But can’t you do all those things with another partner? Of course! But most will not, and, instead, fall into a routine monotonous as your monogamous sex life.
Or are you unable to handle the emotional turmoil that comes from sharing a life with a single partner? Are you unable to face your own inadequacies and fear that the ONE you love will leave you? Are you simply unwilling to put in the work? Are you running? Nothing good in life comes easy. And the same could be said for a single sexual conquest… but it is ephemeral…
Maybe the Mormons have it right. After all, they crush the stock market; purchasing Gamestop at it’s low and quadrupling their Tesla shares. Maybe the Church of Mormon is really ahead of the curve and the general silly perception is purported by a reverse-recency bias. They seem happy over there. By “over there” I mean where the Mormon’s are. Shall I convert to Mormonism? Not today. But dadgummit I will watch their money moves!
I know, I know... I'm presenting a false dilemma. But where’s the fun in playing by the rules? Monogamy can be meaningful and fulfilling but it isn’t a necessary mode of being for a life of meaning. Therefore, I declare, it doesn’t matter if you choose a life of monogamy or promiscuity. 'Long as your attitude is pure.