Rewriting Older Poems
In today’s blog, I use a couple pages pulled from the old book which were written in a waiting room. Waiting rooms of one form or another; whether it’s for a doctor’s appointment and car repair, and the time spent in limbo is similar. I hate the blaring TVs everywhere (and in restaurants, too). Heaven forbid people are alone with their own thoughts for awhile.
Instead they need to be assailed with the media trying to push products at them or some soap opera putting more drama to the senses. Some places blare the news and it’s all about disaster or the most recent government program taking away people’s rights (all in the pretext of protection or making life better – the question being making life better for who) or big business running another mom and pop store out of business. Is it to have someone else’s problems relieve those waiting of their own? Is it the need to be told what products they need to make their lives better? Is it only for distraction?
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy TV. I spend a couple hours watching every night, but the shows are my choices and I’m very fussy at what I subject myself to. I have a DVR to record the shows I watch so I can fast-forward through commercials – which I find absolutely disgusting.
I do not want this in my life. Waiting time for me is used to write or read or meditate. The limbo-ness of waiting is an opportunity for reflection. I certainly don’t want to be bombarded by negative news excitement or have commercialism shoved down my throat. People don’t realize what the repetition of the same types of media messaging does to them. (Think about it – exercise and training is about repetition so the muscles, body, and mind can react quickly when needed. So when repetitive commercial messaging or having some official tell you over and over… it’s similar. Your body and mind takes it in. You believe what they are saying even when you, at first, don’t agree. It’s like being brainwashed.)
But I digress. This topic is about waiting rooms. When I can, if no one is around, I will shut off the TV so I can sit quietly.
Waiting Room TV
I’ve been here before
been more affected before
I remember the feeling
remember the fear, the worry
the unfairness of it all
as some government news
attempts to control everything
I watch concern on others’ faces
hear their despair
feel their sorrow
It matches my own
and I refuse
to subject myself
to the added stress.
(originally written 07/10/09; edited and titled 09/28/15 – SW)
And this one:
Meltdown
“Computers are down”
people panic
can’t function
don’t know what to do
don’t know how to
handwrite a form
communication shuts down
work stops
When technology fails
life comes to a standstill
I pull out
a notebook
and write
poetry.
And this one:
TV Distraction
Breathe in
breathe out
an attempt to shut out
other noise
Sharp voices penetrate
blaring siren on TV
pull further in
breathe in
breathe out
concentrate on feet
center and ground
Shut out economic concerns
block out job loss fears
try not to feel it
as another business closes
desks sit empty
phones unmanned
Waiting seems forever
when listening
to sad news.
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