Tuesday, December 20, 2011

“No Vacancy”


[It’s time once again for my favorite Chaplinesque Poet-in-Residence Barbie Dockstader Angell—a sad poem this week.  Now it’s just a guess, but if you’ve enjoyed reading Barbie’s poems & seeing her art as much as I have, I think this would be a great week to stop & leave a comment telling her hello & thanks!  I’ll start things off by saying: Thanks, my friend, for all you’ve brought to this blog—it’s a joy to work with you & to share your work!]

No Vacancy

I’ve taken down the sign.
Please don’t call here anymore.
The vacancy’s been filled.
Quit pounding on my door.

The ad’s no longer valid.
The space is not for rent.
My mind is quite made up.
I really won’t relent.

It’s true the place was nice,
at a rate you could afford.
Now please remove your foot
‘cause I’d like to close the door.

The room was fairly small,
but it grew in a short time
and you started occupying
too much space inside my mind.

And I’m not sure if you cared.
And the place was in a mess.
Feelings cluttered everywhere,
Confusing all the rest.

No one else has taken it,
the space inside my brain,
but it’s in no shape to rent now
‘cause it’s filling up with rain.


Barbie Dockstader Angell
© 2009-present

12 comments:

  1. Yeah. I can relate. I've got a virtual torrent in mine at the moment. Unfortunately, it's washing away anything of worth.

    Kat

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Kat & Karen

    Kat: Oh, sorry to hear that--but thanks for stopping by & commenting on Barbie's poem!

    Karen: Yes, indeed! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. kat, sorry to hear that. i don't know about you, but i can't get my handyman to fix mine.

    karen, thank you. :)
    ....that was a compliment, right?

    john, thank you as always. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've read this through, a couple of times, and I really like it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Martin: Thanks for stopping by & commenting!

    ReplyDelete
  6. martin, thank you. :) i really appreciate that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. My mind is quite made up.
    I really won’t relent.


    You wonder how many times this has happened before. And the image of the mind filling up with rain... it's sad and damaging but also in a strange way cleansing. As if the waters will sweep out all traces of the former occupant.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi HKatz: Interesting observations--thanks as always for your perceptive reading!

    ReplyDelete
  9. hkatz, it has happened many, many times before....unfortunately i can count that high without an abacus. yep, the rain does tend to wash things away....the rain in this case being tears.

    thanks for your always insightful perspective. i love reading your thoughts. :)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by & sharing your thoughts. Please do note, however, that this blog no longer accepts anonymous comments. All comments are moderated. Thanks for your patience.