Fiscal crisis
This American Sentence is a poem bribe
for a guilt-free evening.
Yesterday’s two-hour walk was payment
for day-before-yesterday’s pan of brownies.
That crocheted afghan is rent
for time in front of the Food Network.
These last two hours
liking all your updates and pages
are paying forward the success
of my current work-in-progress
which isn’t in progress
and so can’t realistically be called a work
because I’m so busy
paying interest on the past
and borrowing from the future.
© 2013 – Violet Nesdoly
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This poem is one of my November poem-a-day efforts. It began with the November 16th Poetic Asides prompt:“Use the last line of yesterday’s poem for the first line of today’s poem.” Thus the first two lines (I broke my American Sentence into two lines) is a repetition of the ‘bribe or trade-off’ poem I had written the day before.
Obviously I had been listening to too much news in November and I see, judging by current headlines, that a fiscal poem is as timely today as it was two months ago.
This poem is submitted to Poetry Friday, hosted this week by the very versatile Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme.
Violet Nesdoly 
‘Very versatile?’ Why, thank you! Enjoyed your poem, Violet…brings a new perspective to what we keep hearing inthe news!
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Sad to say, it is still timely, Violet, & may continue, & continue, & …. Very clever to appropriate the news for your own life. Love those brownies!
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Thanks Linda, I loved those brownies too (actually they were double chocolate cookies that tasted like brownies, and not a whole panful but guilt-inducing nevertheless!).
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2nd day of the year I was also attending to our bills and finances, indeed very timely. Sigh. But that is how it is. 🙂 So we smile and do what we can
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Thank you, Myra. And we do just as you say, as we hold up our little end of responsibility. Have a Happy New Year! 🙂
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A great insight into economics- both personal and national!
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Thank you Iza. Not sure I understand the economics very well, at least not the national and international economics. My own are a different story. Happy New Year to you!
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Loved your poem, Violet! The last two lines are particularly poignant.
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Thank you so much, BJ! Hopefully this year we’ll all be contentedly working in the black (and not frantically trying to pay for yesterday’s and today’s indulgences).
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This is so true, Violet! In addition to the poem’s relation to the U.S. current national fiscal crisis, it speaks to the way we rationalize so many of the things we indulge in and then feel guilty about. Walking two miles pays for the cookies I overate, etc. I love
“paying forward the success
of my current work-in-progress
which isn’t in progress.”
Hah!
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Thank you so much, Joyce! So glad I’m getting some empathy here. I thought I might be the only person with such self-defeating tendencies.
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I like it! Thanks for sharing this. Your poems are always so fun to read.
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Your poem explained the fiscal cliff better than any news commentary I ignored…um…heard. Brought it right down to my level, you did!!
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Timely poem and so clever. We so often rationalize our excuses. Love the use of “fiscal” words. I especially relate to the work-in-progress that is not in progress.
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Thank you all, Ruth, Mary Lee and Margaret! Obviously we’re all in the same boat, or perhaps I should say climbing the same mountain!
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Loved the wry tone in this poem, Violet! Thanks!
“which isn’t in progress
and so can’t realistically be called a work”
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This is a fiscal cliff solutionI can get…especially if it involves brownies and cozy afghans.
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I love this poem, Violet! This is the first time I’ve stopped by. Wonderful blog!
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Thank you so much, April! I’m honored to hear that from you who amazed me with your poems in ‘Girl Coming In For a Landing’!
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Violet,
My notes show that you are hosting Poetry Friday tomorrow. Friday, Jan. 20, 2013.
I have a poem about being angry posted and a writing challenge at http://www.poetryforkidsjoy.blogspot.com
It will be posted at midnight mountain daylight time.(or is it standard?) Thank you for hosting this week.
Joy Acey
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