some prose i just wrote

[emilyemilyemily]

it's not incredibly poetic, but that's why it's prose. 😀

sometimes i wonder why societal norms
dictate that, when asked by an acquaintance
how you're doing, you lie
why you're expected to tell your mom's
hairdresser's neighbor that everything is fine
when everything is obviously not fine
sure, maybe it's nice sometimes:
the comfort of knowing that you've managed
to somehow maintain some tiny modicum of privacy
'cause god knows that shit's impossible to find these days-
but maybe sometimes you're lonely
and you just want someone to care about what's been going on
a feeling which, if you run with it, turns "i'm fine, thanks." into
"everything is falling apart."
i don't know about you, but i think that maybe it would be nice
to not have to lie for once
because it might not be pragmatic,
but it's sure as shit more satisfying
and sometimes, that's all that matters
so next time someone asks you how you're doing,
and the answer isn't really "i'm fine, thanks",
don't say that you are; tell the truth
because god knows the world could use more honesty.

 

[leafstk]

I thought that was beautifully done, Emily 🙂 And there is definitely a meaningful message there... thanks for sharing!

So.... how are you doing? 😀

 

[emilyemilyemily]

badly.
see what i did there?

 

[McNoodle]

Artists are supposed to suffer 😀

 

[leafstk]

badly.
see what i did there?

I'd say this is progress! 😀

Actually, I hope you were lying 🙁

 

[emilyemilyemily]

i don't lie about these things! read the poem! 😛

 

[Marquis De Sade]

Beautiful poem.

 

[Borg Perfection]

it's not incredibly poetic, but that's why it's prose. 😀

sometimes i wonder why societal norms
dictate that, when asked by an acquaintance
how you're doing, you lie
why you're expected to tell your mom's
hairdresser's neighbor that everything is fine
when everything is obviously not fine
sure, maybe it's nice sometimes:
the comfort of knowing that you've managed
to somehow maintain some tiny modicum of privacy
'cause god knows that shit's impossible to find these days-
but maybe sometimes you're lonely
and you just want someone to care about what's been going on
a feeling which, if you run with it, turns "i'm fine, thanks." into
"everything is falling apart."
i don't know about you, but i think that maybe it would be nice
to not have to lie for once
because it might not be pragmatic,
but it's sure as shit more satisfying
and sometimes, that's all that matters
so next time someone asks you how you're doing,
and the answer isn't really "i'm fine, thanks",
don't say that you are; tell the truth
because god knows the world could use more honesty.

God damn it, I love this poem!

 

[Angel77]

That's very good Emily! Thanks for posting it!

 

[emilyemilyemily]

thank you thank you! 🙂

 

[poopies]

One time I was being friendly and asked some person I didn't really know how he was doing, and he responded with "not good." He then proceeded to tell me about how his daughter had tried to commit suicide for the third time, and was accusing him of molesting her, and that she had just been admitted into a mental hospital. I really really wish he had just told me, "I'm fine, thanks."

 

[emilyemilyemily]

One time I was being friendly and asked some person I didn't really know how he was doing, and he responded with "not good." He then proceeded to tell me about how his daughter had tried to commit suicide for the third time, and was accusing him of molesting her, and that she had just been admitted into a mental hospital. I really really wish he had just told me, "I'm fine, thanks."

if you don't like the message i'm trying to put forth, that's fine. but don't be a dick about my poetry.

 

[poopies]

if you don't like the message i'm trying to put forth, that's fine. but don't be a dick about my poetry.

I'm sorry you thought I was being a dick about your poetry. I wasn't trying to be, honest 🙁 I was just telling what I thought was an amusing story about an instance when you wouldn't want somebody to tell you how they're actually feeling.

 

[emilyemilyemily]

fair enough. i'm sorry i was short with you; i guess i just felt like it was kinda lame of you to make a joke when i was pouring my soul out...yeah, i'm still being a bitch. sorry. i have no filter.

 

[poopies]

fair enough. i'm sorry i was short with you; i guess i just felt like it was kinda lame of you to make a joke when i was pouring my soul out...yeah, i'm still being a bitch. sorry. i have no filter.

It's k. When people pour their souls I feel awkward and make jokes as a defense mechanism.. or something. Your poem is very nice.

 

[emilyemilyemily]

haha. thank you.

 

[Angel77]

Do you write often emily? You're good with your words 🙂

 

[emilyemilyemily]

thanks angel 🙂

i try to write often. i'd say i write a poem every couple of months or so. i'd like to write more, but inspiration always finds me at the most unexpected times.

 

[Angel77]

Isn't that the truth? I used to write way, way more often back in the day and always did my best whenever life was either kick ass or shitty.

Anyhoo, you're awesome!

 

[emilyemilyemily]

thank you! <3

 

[SoundSiren]

Lovely and refreshingly frank poem Emily. Thanks for sharing it here. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Life would be so different if filters were removed. Better, maybe not...but what a relief it would be to just be honest and open...without sharing more than necessary perhaps. Answering the question "How are you?" doesn't necessarily need to entail FULL details but at least, as you put, the simple truth of "not well" when that's the case.

Haven't talked to you really but I sincerely hope whatever is going on in your world rights itself soon. 😉

 

[herts tickler]

nice tripple em! im not even a poetry guy as a rule but this actually made sense to me.
anyway if u really are doin bad feel free to unload via pm in the same way i did a few weeks back.

 

[emilyemilyemily]

hertsy: i dropped a novel in your inbox. enjoy.

siren: thank you so much 🙂

 

[Radiohead 7140]

just a random thought

i love the 'sure as shit' in an aggressive poem. the alliteration (particularly that 'sh' sound) combined with the use of a vulgar word really makes the expression pack a punch. i like using it in casual conversation, but it is definitely deliberate in how i want to sound.

thanks for the sharing the poem. hope things look up for you soon.

ps if you write more please share! I took a poetry class in college, and unfortunately I was awful. But it really made me see great talent in people I hadn't noticed before, and I wonder if they saw it in themselves.

 

[emilyemilyemily]

thank yew, raydeeo. 😀