+ 1ST POEMS: What They Talk About Around The Water Cooler

Astronomers keep their eyes on a certain star they well understand.

Taxes came due, are coming due, and are soon to come due.

In the capitol, administrators attempt to evade confrontations.

Livestock in the field must be tended---fed, watered and guarded.

The integrity of our borders must be maintained and monitored.

Haters and thugs contemplate insurrection at the capitol.

A young girl wonders if she can return home, having become pregnant.

The young girl's boyfriend resents the gossips that deprecate her.

An elderly teacher cradles a baby in his arms:  they lift each other up.

After classes, instructors are impressed by a student new to the campus.

A son should learn obedience first, and then a good, moneymaking trade.

I tell you, the temptations out there are just too many, too much, for me.


Fishing has been poor in the lake recently.

Storms on the lake stir up a lot of bottom sediment.

A father faces the death of his only child, a daughter.

A young man was beaten to death because he loved another boy.

In the branch office, one of the collectors has abruptly resigned.

For that size of a party, can you afford the good stuff?

From a radicalized enclave, an insurrectionist abruptly resigns.

A farmer hopes that seeds just planted will sprout this year.

A tree fails again to produce fruit, and really should be cut down.

Were you able to climb high enough to get the full view?

Get that plow up and running, we have a lot of work to do.

The pig farm will have to report a heavy loss this year.


After five marriage failures, you would think she has had enough of men.

Some man who was once deemed addled now claims he is back to normal.

Too many small wars are being fought all over the world.

How about that tower that just collapsed:  how many were killed onsite?

The governor was recently again displeased.  He is never satisfied.

All the invitations have been delivered.  No one has replied, as yet.

Are the workmen paid fairly, according to seniority?

A lot of people have come to town for our festival.

My brother should have admitted how well he was treated around here.

Officials of the city worry about safety, security, and crowd control.

Talk to him yourself---he thinks he knows it all anyhow.

Just who do you think you are, mister?  Just who do you think you are?

 

Under cover of night, the police have been dispatched on a sensitive matter.

The festival has been well attended, and should earn back more than we spent.

If you call the town council into session this late, you better have a good reason.

I think we should consult the general instructions manual.

Several trials distracted us just before the weekend.

The governor decided, today, to sign those two orders postponed from last week.

The governor's wife abruptly cancelled lunch:  those whom she invited are upset.

The carpenter will need to resupply the stockroom by the first part of next week.

I feel lucky today, and I intend to bet large.

Did you bring a sufficient supply of nails this time?

The traffic on the main road is terrible, even this early in the morning.

I prefer the wine back home, and not this local swill.


That man and two felons with him have been crucified according to procedure.

Why has the sun suddenly darkened?  Perhaps we should ask the astronomers.


J-Called

[*/+/^]

Author's Notes/Comments: 

I have a fond affection for the astronomers mentioned in the first and last lines, which is why I wanted the poem to begin and end with them.  I hope I am not out of line to say that I had a lot of fun writing this poem, and I believe it is one of my best; hence its presence in the section entitled First Poems.

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redbrick's picture

It is indeed a privilege to

It is indeed a privilege to share in the enjoyment of this poem. I am so glad to hear that you "had a lot of fun writing this poem!" It is also my belief that it is among your best ones. I have often desired to enquire of the learned astronomers myself!


here is poetry that doesn't always conform

galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver

J-C4113D's picture

Thank you so much for your

Thank you so much for your kind comment.  Your words are always important to me.


J-Called

patriciajj's picture

If there's some imaginative

If there's some imaginative new way for you to construct an engaging poem, you'll find it.

 

This was a pure pleasure to read (or rather, overhear) and a less crafty wordsmith might have fumbled it, not made the snippets of conversation so realistic and certainly not even conceived of that bombshell ending that tied it all together with seamless panache.

 

It was truly cunning, the way you interlaced stories that could have been ripped from today's headlines with topics relevant to the ancient time period, certainly adding to the element of surprise later.

 

Pure genius. Love it! 

J-C4113D's picture

Thank you so much for reading

Thank you so much for reading the poem and giving a comment.  I was a little nervous that the poem would not function effectively the way I wrote it, but your response to it tells me not to fret further.  I am very, very grateful to you for taking the time to read the poem and comment on it.  


J-Called