Good Night
When you brushed and flossed and rinsed your teeth,
_You gave nary a thought
To a gap you almost never reach.
I am that spot.
Those brilliant words you never said
_Now rattling inside your head;
But when you needed them, you froze.
_I am those.
The guy who was the boss’s friend
_Who really glared at you when
You said, “Hey everybody, this is Wayne.”
_ I am his real name.
The day is done. You lie in bed
Replaying all this in your head
You toss, you turn, you count the sheep.
_I am your sleep.
The Old Guy
I spoke to an old guy yesterday
Who had depressing things to say:
That time is slipping fast away
_And he is feeling low;
Kids addicted to their screens
Communicating now in memes,
Echoing their TikTok streams
_So sad, the status quo;
He spoke of his psoriasis;
Fell on his arm and sprained his wrist;
And a lengthy list of specialists
_Has filled his medicine shelf;
He concluded that though he’s hangin’ tough,
The world’s become a bit too rough.
I turned away, I’d had enough
I gotta quit talking to myself.
Kevin Ahern is a Professor Emeritus of biochemistry from Oregon State University. His website is www.kevingahern.com.
Kevin, I really liked your varied personifications in the first poem revealing some of your innermost thoughts and feelings. From my perspective, I felt you were also communicating your own internal sensitivities in the second poem. Nicely done.
Thanks, Roy. The second one was definitely personal.
Both of these are very clever!
Thanks, Cynthia 🙂
Good day, Kevin! Good concept, with those hard-to-achieve things coming alive in words. And “The Old Guy” rhyming pairs of stanzas in final lines, turns out to be the surprise speaker. Nice characterization.
Thanks, Margaret. I appreciate your kind words.
Thanks for the astute poem, Kevin. “Good Night” got me thinking about all the slumbering memories I’ve misconstrued or forgotten.
Thanks, David. Yup. Typical bedtime thinking.
The first poem was very clever, I thought, pointing out these niggles, malignancies in life almost, that although seemingly little related, chip away at us, gradually wearing us down physically and mentally.
Ha, ha! Got me with The Old Guy. Guess wed best give those kids the benefit of the doubt.
Thanks for the reads, Kevin.
Thanks for your comments, Paul.
Both poems sparkle with unanticipated twists. Ahern has been around long enough to understand the value of irony. It’s good to know that there is still some orgone in Oregon.