NaPoWriMo 2013 Day One ~ Death, Life and Oxymoron

We stave off death
by killing life.
We wipe our chins
with the oxymoron
and pick flesh from
our teeth.

Greedy, bloated, and grumbling…
we pass our days in the land of the bountiful
dreaming of our next meal while brandishing
a television remote as a sword to slice images
of the hungry from our conscience.

Judgment waits with its empty plate
to see if we will repent and share our harvest…

Greasy fingers hold firmly to silver forks.



©Susie Clevenger 2013

Comments

TCPC said…
so true!! we all move to live in pretended ignorance!!quite a short sight on life, though...
Anunoy Samanta said…
Beautiful lines... though it made be fearful... still loved it!
Cheers :)
anthonynorth said…
Powerful words on the state of things. Great write.
Unknown said…
Heard ya now Ive read ya.... Enjoy'd
Kerry O'Connor said…
First off, I love your title and the poem is just a big WOW from me, Susie. The opening stanza is brilliant and the pace sweeps the reader along to an uncomfortable conclusion. Poetry must make me think, and this one surely did.

Good luck with you NaPoWriMo endeavours.
Janine Bollée said…
Oh gosh, Susie, is it too late to change out ways? I'm looking at the woman in the mirror now, and won't pick up the remote for a few days.
What a start to the month!
Are you still on a high from the publication of your book?
Jim said…
I'm still smiling, Susie. :)

I wasn't expecting this neat little delicacy. Now where did I put my silver fork?

Your poem made me think of vultures. Did you know that vultures are very patient and do not kill their prey. They wait for death so it really isn't prey.

Yesterday afternoon coming home from our top-down wildflower viewing ride we spotted six black vultures (Google them) feasting on some road kill beside the road. I did not turn around for a blog picture taking session.

But they were sooo pretty, black and large, seemingly raven sized.

In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
..
Jim said…
Best wishes, Susie, on your NaPo. You are brave.
..
Timoteo said…
Greed...endemic to the human, and only the human condition. This has a real BITE to it.
Share we must, we who have so much. What a powerful reminder!
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Susie, you so nailed this. OMG! Especially slicing the images of the hungry from our conscience. Fantastic write!
Sreeja said…
Great start.... you inspired me ... I wish I too could be with napowrimo throughout the month...
Marian said…
oooh, your last line. i feel like i need a shower now. excellent!
Ella said…
Damn that is good! Wow, you remind me of that saying..we dig our graves with a fork! This is good and I think I'm going to put it on my fridge!
Well done....
Yes, this poem is Wow :D
Kay L. Davies said…
Oh, Susie, we are indeed the guilty. You're so right.
Well said.
K
Ellecee said…
"we stave off death by killing life" so sad that this is so close to the truth,, great write, Susie..
Unknown said…
Well that reopens the vegetarian discussion!
Other Mary said…
Ouch! I think most of us are guilty of this to some degree.
Susie, this was brutally honest, and we have it coming. Our consumer society makes fools of us all. No matter how many homeless guys I take out to lunch and chat with, it's never enough.

Reminds me of the Beatles song, "Piggies."

BRAVA! Amy
Anonymous said…
It is a bit crazy that most of our holidays center around food and eating to excess. Wonderful poem.
Anonymous said…
Are we so consumption obsessed? It's scary...