01 February 2013

Recycling the Past

Can’t sleep?  Count sheep
or put on an advice tape—
actually,  the older I get
the more interesting tapes
of dos and don’ts become
as I compare my life’s dues—

Reminds me of astrology
charts: We got them at 22,
when we had already been
punished for attributes that
were clearly in our stars.
(Do we remember to look?)

Biography reads better as
patterns of  lived lives, of
story, history and her story,
within my own, within yours
stay in tune on scales of time
where advice flat lines forever.




Posted for Natasha Head's #WWUC @NWCreativeUnion ~Wisdom&LifeLessons.  Re-posted for Poetry United's Poetry Pantry #135.  Please check out BOTH sites!

Copyright © 2013 S.L.Chast





11 comments:

  1. Good one, Susan.....I cant get enough of peoples' stories. There is nothing one can make up in fiction that is more interesting and unbelievable than ordinary peoples' lives. Great write.

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  2. intriguing verse...life is a grand story, with lots of little chapters...its nice to look at do's and donts but in the end we cant change whats been, only echo forward...

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  3. Life holds so many stories...I find myself repeating them to those who will listen. How sad that there are those who go through life and never learn...

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  4. The older I get the better I get. How about you, Susan? I think it must be so.

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  5. This poem has a unique, chatty, style, which works for me - especially the middle part. I like it.

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  6. I like the style of this poem, Susan. I think you really find a way to address the reader so he/she relates to your words. I like thinking about biography as patterns of lived lives!

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  7. We punish ourselves for the attributes clearly in our stars - the flatline, then, is more peace than judgment, perhaps?

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  8. The older I get he more interesting my tapes get as well--loved this--especially the last stanza

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  9. Clever wordplay and just a neat poem, excellent!

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  10. Dont' bother to count sheep or listen to tapes if you can't sleep... put on Trollope's "The Barcherster Chronicles" DVD you will be rendered unconscious within minutes..guaranteed:)

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  11. Great take on the prompt. I've felt advice flat line all too often.

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