May 2, 2011

Sometimes

I wanted to say something profound, but sometimes life just doesn't turn out the way we want it to, you know?
It's like the whipped cream on a Sundae. You think that's the best part, until you realize it's just whipped cream all the way down, that the Sundae doesn't really exist. The ice cream is a lie. Suddenly what you've got doesn't look at all like the sort of thing you wanted. Sure maybe others tell you to shut up, eat it, and be happy with whatever life brings you. That's easy for them to say, with their cherry-topped banana splits and dewy glasses of malt shake. They probably amuse themselves living out their days idly sniffing the rose-scented perfume on bouquets of solid gold geraniums and sucking the goo out of Twinkies. What you wouldn't give just to have someone understand you, if even a little bit. So you follow behind, pretending to be content with the discarded hulls of hollowed out sponge cake, maybe even convincing yourself that it's what you wanted all along. But the lie turns to bile in your throat. You can't ignore it any more. Soon enough you'll have to eat the whipped cream, cause there's nothing else to do. It's that or you lick the toes of the giants that hold up the stars, which is just as bad as it sounds until you realize where they're standing. Then it's worse. So you resign yourself to a life of cream, forsaking eternally the hope of a better existence. That's when the final calamity hits you: the spoons are gone, and all you've got is a fork.

12 comments:

Shanda said...

Wow...that leaves me speechless, or wordless, and wanting to hear more: like what prompted this blog. Incredible writing!

kourtney said...

Wow!! I'd say that's REALLY profound! On a number of different levels....

I'm just guessing, but it seems you aren't exactly satisfied with life at the moment?? Don't worry, those moments pass!

Namaste

K.

Mark Zellner said...

Thanks for reading and commenting Shanda and Kourtney! I know this piece must sound like I am terribly depressed, but actually it was just the product of boredom, a headache, and avoiding paperwork! In fact I tried to make it sound a bit ridiculously melodramatic. :p

Rebekah said...

It sounds really depressing, cause i've tried to eat ice cream with a fork, it doesn't work. :(

Anonymous said...

Lol, Mark! xD

~SammyJo

Catharine Phillips said...

I love the imagery... and what is poetry if you can*t go over the top occasionally in a cosmic whine!
Hope this week is better (and the paperwork got done last week).
Blessings,
Catharine

Anonymous said...

I think you speak for so many when you say you wish you caould something profound, I have many of those moments too when I discover that I have actually thought of nothing meaningfull in a day or sometimes a week.
I am in the process of stuying for degree in Theology and the process I find very satsifying. Since it gives me true thoughts about God to think about all week.
But I agree with the ather commentators on your blog, write more! You have a gift.

Mark Zellner said...

Rebekah, glad to know someone has actually tried this! Can't say that I have!

Glad you liked it Sammy!

That's right Catharine, the poetic license lets us get away with anything! Yes, I got everything done. :)

R and R, nothing keeps your thoughts profound like studying God. Some of my best thoughts come when I am meditating on Yahweh. Thank for reading, brother.

Netsie said...

So...my reaction was that it was kinda bizzar. But somehow good writing nonetheless. huh.

Daniel Hines said...

Eh, I've eaten ice cream with a fork a few times. It's not that difficult unless the ice cream is too melted. I don't know about whipped cream, though, that may just slip through the prongs...

I think the poem itself might have impacted me a little more if my initial thought upon reading the last line hadn't been "There is no spoon! Use the fork!" I will have to reread it while trying to suppress this instinct.

Mark Zellner said...

Netsie, I would have to agree that it was bizarre. Thanks for reading though!

Daniel, I'm sorry to hear you've had the misfortune of eating anything with a fork which was meant to be eaten with a spoon, it's always so hard! :p Especially cereal. Hope you have better luck reading it next time!

Marlene Stratton said...

It appears to me you hit your goal, Mark -- ridiculously melodramatic! :) As usual, it was written with flair though!