We aren’t meant to be faultless, to be curated in a world
where risotto is compared to lobster;
supple grains of rice perfumed of parmesan and wine
and replete
with butter—we ought to remember this when the rain is pelting
down. What sorrows are you drowning, and why?
Do you ever pause?
Do you think about the commonality of human experience?
I adore salted caramel donuts;
especially when in the process of deciphering the genetic structure found
in the cells of organisms—ha! I am obviously kidding.
The marks left behind are more than often scars,
hot pink against the skin; we can choose to hide them or don them
confidently, I have hardly ever met
another human devoid of unspeakable pain—
forgive me,
I am on the verge of becoming nostalgic; let us be cornier, let loose,
go for the awful rhyme instead
of settling for verses immaculate, life my darling, isn’t always pretty,
isn’t always ideal.
What sorrows are you drowning?
Photo credits: “Pink Cup,” by Jess @ Harper Sunday, Unsplash
An early unveiling of the April Poem-a-Day Challenge, Day 2 🥠
Lillian hosts OLN at dVerse and shares an absolutely delightful
April Fool’s Day tale. Come join us! 💝
Posted for Open Link Night #289 @ dVerse Poets Pub
40 Responses
I love the conversational tone of this….the coming back to the question after the wonderful logic that no one is perfect. You had me with the first three lines….so perfect! Makes me think….we can’t all be lobster bisque, many of us are plain tomato soup…and there’s a reason why for many in the US, tomato soup is known as comfort food!
Thank you so much, my dearest Lillian 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
You got me here:
“I adore salted caramel donuts;
especially when in the process of deciphering the genetic structure found
in the cells of organisms—ha! I am obviously kidding.”
Thank you so much, Ron 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
I agree with Lillian about the conversational tone. And the remark about the genetic structure made me laugh.
Yes, we all have our hidden sorrows.
Thank you so much, Merril 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
It’s as if we are sitting down together and sharing a meal- two poets discussing life. Beautiful Sanaa!
Thank you so much, Linda 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️
I felt as if you were talking to me in this poem, Sanaa, with the direct address and questions. My favourite lines:
‘The marks left behind are more than often scars,
hot pink against the skin; we can choose to hide them or don them confidently’.
Those scars don’t have to be external ones, although internal scars are only visible to ourselves.
Thank you so much, my dearest Kim 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Yes! I do! Quite a lot, actually. Have you, by any chance, seen the movie ‘Cloud Atlas’, Sanaa? If not, I recommend it to you 😀
I loved this poem tremendously.
Yours,
David
I will definitely check it out! Thank you so much, David 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
I’m afraid I went for the “awful rhyme” as I most often do, and heaven help me I’m optimistic. May we all be accepting of our warts and imperfections!
Definitely 🙂 thanks for stopping by, Beverly 💄❤️
I like the conversational tone of your poem. About the drowning sorrows, you reminded me of a U2 song, where Bono sings about them but then sings, “my sorrows, they learned to swim.” They also wait, you’re right. Bring them out and give them some fresh air.
Thank you so much, Lisa 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
A very thought provoking question to ponder.
Your poem is beautifully done. Love the images of taste in salted caramel donut!
❤️❤️❤️
Sanaa, a very good poem. I am pasted to the comparison of risotto to lobster, some would say the latter favorable, but the pain in which it is rendered could be unspeakable, so the former might be preferred, and yet I am unsure from the narrator who does speak of high pain. Regardless, well done.
Thank you so much, Sascha 🙂 so good to see you 💄❤️
The free verse is like the pain everyone suffers which cannot be pretty — a grain rough and raw against the opioid of easy capitalist consumption. Its where we humans actually live and love, rhyme be damned. Well done.
Thank you so much, Brendan 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Such a rich poem of textures, tastes and emotions. Delicious and poignant, with that repeated line ‘What sorrows are you drowning?’
Thank you so much, Ingrid 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
“forgive me,
I am on the verge of becoming nostalgic; let us be cornier, let loose,
go for the awful rhyme instead
of settling for verses immaculate, life my darling, isn’t always pretty,
isn’t always ideal.”
I love this.
Thank you so much, Mubashshira 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
I love the scents and tastes your poetics are framed with.
❤️❤️❤️
the humour and the humanity of this poem was genius thank you
Thank you so much, Laura 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Learning to Love Dandelions
i Let Them Rise
And Green
of Grass Complies..:)
❤️
This reads as though we’re sitting at brunch, chatting in conversation both profound and profane. I too love salted caramel donuts, even without thoughts of genetic structure found in the cells of organisms. 😀
“I have hardly ever met
another human devoid of unspeakable pain—
forgive me,”
The repetition of the question, drives it home. What sorrows indeed.
Awwww gosh! Thank you so much, Raivenne 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
Excellent post for this April 1st. Be nobody’s fool Sanaa.
You too.
Oh how I love the energy and message in your poem … especially “let us be cornier, let loose” … there is a huge smile on my face! Enjoy this Spring Easter weekend.
Thank you so much, Helen 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
This poem deeply resonates. Much as we think we are different, there is commonality in human experiences. Well written verses, Sanaa. 🙂
Thank you so much, Kittysverses 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️