fish swimming in the ocean

IT’S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT CATCH UP
WITH YOU
HIDDEN AWAY
FROM THE ORDINARY
SWAY
OF LIFE’S METABOLIC
CHANGE,
WHILE DIVING DEEP
IN THE OCEAN
OF CASH
THE STASH
THAT REMAINS
CAN CAUSE
TEARS FOR YOU,
WONDERING
WHERE
AND WHEN
THE NEXT BILL
IS DUE,
SENT WITH SUCH
GRACE
TO A VERY
SPECIAL PLACE
ACROSS THE STREET
WHERE THE MAILBOX
LIVES,
(WE MUST FORGIVE
THE LOCATION
WE SHARE
WITH THE NEIGHBORS,
WHERE SOMEBODY
SAVORS
AND CARES)
WHILE INSIDE
REQUESTS FOR
CASH
LINGER
BETWEEN YOUR FINGERS
AND A GRITTING
OF TEETH,
KNOWING THAT
OPENING
BRINGS NO RELIEF,
IT SEEMS TO GO
BY SO FAST,
BUT CARMA REIGNS
AND ZAPS
THE PRESSURE
BEFORE YOU CAN
OPEN A BILL,
NOW ITS HEADING
UP THE HILL
AGAIN AND AGAIN,
NO WONDER THOSE
FOLKS WHO DALEY
WITH THEIR DOGS
HESTIATE TO RETURN
TO THE MAILBOX BURN,
YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL
WHO IS SUFFERING:
JUST OPEN YOUR EYES
AND WATCH THEM
CRY…

WORSE THAN
EVER,
NOW THERE ARE
MACHINES
POSING AS HUMAN
BEINGS
THAT ENDLESSLY
REMIND US
OF OUR DEBTS
(AND CREDITS),
ALTHOUGH
I BELIEVE
THOSE ORIGINATORS
REALLY KNOW
THE TRUE MEANING
OF THE KARMA LABEL,
IT ZAPS BACK IN TIME
UNDER THE TABLE
SHOVING A PILE
OF WILTED ENVELOPES
AND OLD STAMPS,
READY TO TRAVEL
AGAIN,
WONDERING WHEN
THINGS WILL
CALM DOWN,
WHILE LAUGHING ALL
THE WAY TO THE BANK,
(A DESOLATE TANK
FULL OF SMILING
TELLERS
AND CUTE
OLDER FELLERS)
SAVED FOR THOSE
OF US
WHO PREFER TO
WAIT
(UNTIL THE
LAST DAY
IN ORDER TO PAY)
SO NOW YOU
KNOW
JUST HOW IT GOES,
AND RECOGNIZE
THE MASSIVE
SIGH
RELEASED DURING
OUR CONVERSATION,
IT’S NOT A VACATION
THESE DAYS,
SCRAMBLING
RAMBLING
SHAMBLING
TO THE CHECK BOOK
BLUES,
IT’S SOMETHING
TO USE
FOR THOSE
FADED SWEET
MEMORIES
WHEN WE ARE
OLD AND POOR,
HARDLY RECALLNG
THE CREAKY
BACK DOOR.

©JW WINSLOW 5/1/2022