Mood Swing

[Delta40]

Sucking in the cool jet of oven gas
gives me little comfort.
While an egg boils on the stove,
the grease stained door sticks into my ribs.
This will never work, I think.
It's like trying to catch piss with a sieve
and the toast is bound to pop up before I pass out.
I fill my cheeks one last time, while remnants of logic scream,
Who will butter the toast dummy?
I try to imprint my face in the yellow block on the table.
Hard and unrelenting, I realise nothing will soften its core,
not even my wheezing, noxious breath.
I reflect on the odium of misery that I have spread throughout my life
and scrape all hope of eggs and toast into the bin.
A sleepy eyed child in Pooh Bear pyjamas appears by my side and tugs at my apron.
To be sure the radiant sun bursts through even the darkest of clouds!
He-wo Gwan-ma. Me hungwee.
From above, two bowls of Cornflakes rain down like a gift from God.
Feasting on life's heavenly crunch, our mirth is the milk of such joy
that we tumble to the floor in a furious tickle match.
Tomorrow I swear to do better.

[everyadventure]

Oh, Delta. My new favorite of yours. The swing from despair to joy is captured so completely that you took me right along with you. Love this one.

[Delta40]

Thanks EA. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

[Jerrybaldy]

Despair to Joy indeed.
The imagery around the useless suicide attempt and I particularly loved :

I try to imprint my face in the yellow block on the table.
Hard and unrelenting, I realise nothing will soften its core,

That took despair to a new level for me. Made me want to sing when the corn flakes rained down from above.

Brilliant, Delta.

[Delta40]

Thanks Jerry.

[Hawkman]

I can't help thinking that your narrator is more likely to detonate than suffocate, Delta. Obviously determined to take no chances! The incongruity of the image of someone trying to gas themselves in the oven, whilst simultaneously boiling eggs on the hob, is effective though. As ea says, the mood-swing is certainly communicated admirably.

It's rather a good poem.

Live and be well - H

[PrinceMyshkin]

Oh! Thank God - and you - for that seemingly miraculous turn at the end. And while I'm at it, God bless the grand-child as well. It's a strong poem in its darkest moments, and especially in its joyful conclusion.

[everyadventure]

Added this one to the favorite poems forum. Oh, the glory of the cornflakes! Love, love, love.

[Delta40]

Oh! Thank God - and you - for that seemingly miraculous turn at the end. And while I'm at it, God bless the grand-child as well. It's a strong poem in its darkest moments, and especially in its joyful conclusion.

Thanks Prince. It was more metaphorical than anything else. I wanted to create something for my therapy group that would 'show' the extremes of mood swings

@ EA oh yes the blessed golden cornflakes! Thank you!

[everyadventure]

Needed to read this one again today. I think of it often, Delta, I adore this poem!

[tailor STATELY]

Thank you everyadventure for resurrecting this nugget. I don't know how I missed this the first time around.

With the exception of L6 (the imagery perhaps a bit graphic for me) I found this poem amazing.

"Tomorrow I swear to do better." leaves me a bit ambivalent; for what is more important than time with a loved one ?

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY