Tin Can Dry

Art by Karin Gustafson--all rights reserved

Bloom where you’re planted?
We are tin can, half priced
dried out skull plants.
Please don’t go on about
a glass’s water line.
I’m too thirsty for optimism.

I’m not sure about the current move.
She bookshelved us to spine up to
someone called Mary Oliver.
I hope she comes back soon
with that drink she promised us.

It is cooler in here. I am so over
that yellow marble and your
constant poem babble in my ear
about light nesting us in hope.

That bird keeps looking at us.
We don’t have any fruit,
there’s not a worm in the pot,
and I stopped blooming weeks ago.

Oh, wait…yes, yes…
The lady with the savior complex
is keeping her promise….WATER!
It feels divine…. My roots are twitching.

I think I just might get used
to the feel of this shelf we’re sitting on.
Stop looking so smug. You know it was
my whining that brought us here.
Really? Can I at least enjoy the water
a few minutes before you start in
with the glass thing again?!?

©Susie Clevenger 2017

I am so grateful Karin Gustafson provided her art as inspiration for our writing. You can see more of her art here.

#NaPoWriMo2017

Real Toads ~ Outsider Art




Comments

Magaly Guerrero said…
One can only hope that crazy plant ladies can remember to give their plants some glass-free moments... preferably, very long moments.
April 26, 2017 at 12:05 PM
Outlawyer said…
Ha. This is has gotten a laugh out of this reader! The humor is very dry indeed and wry. Really enjoyed, thanks, Susie! k.
April 26, 2017 at 1:07 PM
Kerry O'Connor said…
Susie, this had me chuckling in appreciation - excellent monologue, with more than a few layers open to interpretation.
April 26, 2017 at 1:28 PM
Anonymous said…
such a creative play here...at least one of them is going to settle in...not sure about the other though.
April 26, 2017 at 1:46 PM
brudberg said…
Love the poor plants whining... also the dry humor sounds very apt for a case like this.
April 26, 2017 at 2:44 PM
De Jackson said…
I LOVE this. Fun, and funny, and philosophical. Perfect.
Love this line:
"Please don’t go on about
a glass’s water line.
I’m too thirsty for optimism."
April 26, 2017 at 4:02 PM
Anonymous said…
This was fun. As fun as madness can be. Thanks for this trip to the fridge.
April 26, 2017 at 6:48 PM
Rosemary Nissen-Wade said…
Oh, I so adore this! That disgruntled tone ... and – above all the other wonderfully cynical phrases – 'the lady with the saviour complex'.
April 26, 2017 at 9:15 PM
Robin said…
This was very humorous indeed! I have seen this one drawing being used by several Challengers, in very different ways. I like the idea of the two arguing while waiting for that glass. Rasz
April 26, 2017 at 9:21 PM
Jim said…
This was a fun write, Susie, more fun yet I feel writing such an off the wall poem. Only you could write exactly like this one. It brought a lot of thoughts, I hadn't looked good at the picture until after reading our kudos to K. It fits every aspect of the picture.
Is there a name for this type writing, I would like to study up and try my hand.
..
April 26, 2017 at 11:42 PM
grapeling said…
dialog with plants - I like it ~
April 27, 2017 at 2:00 AM
Sanaa Rizvi said…
Love the humor and philosophical touch in this poem, Susie ❤️ Inspired!
April 27, 2017 at 7:16 AM
Rommy said…
This was adorably good fun
April 28, 2017 at 9:15 AM
Post a Comment