December 11th, 2007

Shame by Fraction

A poem I wrote at 3:00AM last night. Has no relation to my life, or any imagined aspect of it. The first line got caught in my head. That’ll happen to you at 3:00AM in the morning. Random lines crawl up your spine and nest eggs into your skull.

Two-thirds of everything I do
is never one-third good enough for you.

So by that math a quarter here, or
      a quarter there,
might get me a palm of hot skin,
or a slip of respect.

Though my math isn't what it used to be.
It used to be bad.
It is worse now.

So could be two-thirds of everything I do
is always one-third short of
your ideas of a perfect fraction.

But a perfect fraction is two-thirds.
      Right?
Or one-third by that measure.
The measure of perfection, which doesn't much care for
      dialogue in any event,
                                            or measurement.

I just want a fucking thank you
      from time to time.
I'd settle for half of that.