Yes, I was sitting on the couch, eating some Lay's potato chips and contemplating their empty calories and their seductive taste ("Bet you can't eat just one" the old advertising slogan went) when I came up with this poem. I'm not sure if it needs another couplet to balance the stanzas or not.
Turnabout is Fair Play in the Land of Frito-Lay
I pity the poor people who lead potato chip lives;
for them day leads to day, but not one satisfies
and all leave them a thirst for something more
that can’t be bottled up and can’t be ignored.
But the potato chip people could well say unto me:
Who are you to look down on us in your pitiful poetry?
As line leads to line, so poem leads to poem
and the poor poet’s path still slants toward the tomb.
Yes, Old Critic Death respects neither poet’s pen nor ruler’s crown,
so we’re all on the same couch when all the chips are down.
(By the way, I'm now just over 1/3 done with the 181 poems!)
Turnabout is Fair Play in the Land of Frito-Lay
I pity the poor people who lead potato chip lives;
for them day leads to day, but not one satisfies
and all leave them a thirst for something more
that can’t be bottled up and can’t be ignored.
But the potato chip people could well say unto me:
Who are you to look down on us in your pitiful poetry?
As line leads to line, so poem leads to poem
and the poor poet’s path still slants toward the tomb.
Yes, Old Critic Death respects neither poet’s pen nor ruler’s crown,
so we’re all on the same couch when all the chips are down.
(By the way, I'm now just over 1/3 done with the 181 poems!)
hahaha, what a great source of inspiration! loved it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was absolutely certain my students would love this wonderful justification of junk food! What's left to hope for now is that they're as strongly addicted to poetry by the end of the semester, eh, Nefi?
ReplyDeleteDear teacher, are you trying to tell me that I'm fat, and that I should give up all the junk food and start a healthy diet? I'm joking of course :)I consider myself as one of those who already love poetry, and who by the end of the semester will love it even more. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that, Nefi - I know Lay's are here to stay, but maybe if we add some poetry seasoning to our daily menu, we'll be able to savor it even more - (let's see if everyone would agree with that)
ReplyDelete