COMMERCIALS OF ARMY RESERVES

Folder: 
THE DRUNKENING

 

Commercials of Army Reserves

                          flash upon

              a static filled

                  tv screen

            segueing into

                an Exxon Supreme

         commercial

 

You sit back waiting for the

                 next commercial

          to tell you

               what you need

                       for happiness

         or how to better your life

                what you can’t

         afford to miss

            or how you’ll be able

                 to relieve pain

 

You’re sitting back sad about

                      destiny

             and broken affairs

                        unsettled goals

                nagging self doubts

 

an oversized belly hangs over

                     your waist

           feet sweet profusely

in an old smelly pair of slippers

         you don’t even

          like to wear

but put on anyway

          out of force of habit

 

At least the Flyers won

            you tell yourself

                       but it doesn’t

         really make much difference

 

Your dog paces back & forth;

                scratching fleas

         whining for food;

a cat coolly staring indifferent

      to your very existence

or any futile dreams you might

    cling onto desperately

 

but in all you still feel

                 an urge

      to laugh aloud

    and hug Rimbaud

           and Van Gogh

        in spite

   of their melancholic

            pessimism

    that you were almost

        dumb enough to buy

 

October 17. 1987

 

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