Poem 24

Number 24


POV....write a poem from the point of view on a inanimate object. A doughnut, couch, coffee table, bird house, Christmas tree. The object becomes the speaker, taking on human qualities, remember not to be cliche. Doughnuts are not happy because they are tasty. Chairs do not all have the same personality.

You looked at me the other day

as I sat weary

standing on end in a row with the other books

the ones you bought

made promises to and

placed here on the shelf

in the living room

so your guests can judge you by

title and author

trial by hardback and soft cover

I remember the early days

you reading me on the train

flashing my cover at

the objects of your affection

you'd write notes in my margins

linger over my compelling paragraphs

and then

you begin to dog ear my pages

set coffee on my cover as if I’m a coaster

you've moved on

gone on to other distractions

magazines and bestsellers

things you can read on an electronic...thing

and I'm left here

an oddity in your hipster collection of

the correct graphic novels

the Chronicles of Narnia

(Of which you've only read the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)

and an unread copy of Proust

I am as passe as ironic facial hair

someday I'll win a Pulitzer, A Nebula, A Poe,

I could be nominated for the national book prize

and you'll never know

won't recall my genre

my sub genre

you gave up after the love scene in the first 63 pages

and could pay no more attention

you didn't care how my characters grew

or the fascinating twists of my plot

or that my philosophical revelation on page 289

may have saved your soul

someday

when the reviews are in

you may try again

please don't,

loan me to a friend,

let them benefit from my lively narrative

you should go

watch some more television

see who gets thrown off the island.