Twenty-eight point five pounds of sulk concentrate.
Bum in seat under protest
sucks 9.23% of breathable kitchen air
into a void of deep space still under construction
7:23 in the morning
Impromptu hunger strike
with the car in for repair and military-grade schedules to compensate
on the cusp of my thirty-first visual arts acquisitions review.
Of course on a Wednesday.
Pudgy cheeks of inconvenience
being inconvenienced so inconveniencing.
A heard huff here
and there
while I pack lunch and listen for the taxi.
He slouches
squirms
fingerplays ffthbt-fftbbbt raspberries on scrumptious lips.
Turns to me.
Gives warmest
full-effect guerrilla-tactic ebony eyes to melt Alaskan icebergs.
Counterinsurgency is easier in summer.
I pour hot water in a thermos.
Not much ice left here sweet stuff.
He whines and wilts.
Drapes body over left side of high chair.
A light skrrt—skrrr-rrttt of plastic resists and yields.
Attention to plight sought.
Deferred.
Has no clue what that means.
I know what’s next.
Master’s degree manipulation after twenty-two months on planet.
Sure could use some of that in corporate
and leapfrog to senior partner.
The most concentrated qualities when nary a clue of command.
Nature’s a comedian.
Shkrr-kee-shkrr-kee-shkrr-kee
A transformed Houdini
alpha tests novel escape methods.
A three-foot slinky.
Never been so grateful
for 21st-century calculus complex safety straps.
Soft coiled dredlocs cling a crown in slow-rise humid air.
Silent seething.
Repositions to reengage.
Breakfast battle mid-point
with no desire whatsoever for reinforcements negotiation or truce.
Spoon projectile in 3…2… … plink-kkah.
Mission failure to find flakes succeed over circles.
Can’t remember yesterday’s tipped cereal box fiasco
correlation with today’s meh menu option.
Can’t reconcile.
Can’t requisition what we don’t have.
Can’t cope without Cheerios.
And I can’t shop ‘til tomorrow
but can totally relate to frisbees over flakes.
Halos hoops and hallelujah moments
versus
a bland cereal grain invented for patients at Battle Creek Sanitorium.
But the fortification needed to get through circle time
learning centers plus arts and crafts where Kylie hogs the crayons though?
Big feels little man.
Good starts necessitate spherical saviors.
Life preservers buoyant against crisis
chaos
cuz who needs flaky beginnings.
You recognize rhetorical questions.
I wave a white flag I had no intention to raise
make a few calls
and dorky pancakes with holes in the center.
Unhinged relief giggle time.
I sit down with him and fortify.
Debate emergency car seat Cheerio reconnaissance and future stockpile options
until
we both feel resurrected enough to save ourselves
just for today.
I really appreciate that you read my poem! If you'd like to see more of my work, please check here.
If you enjoyed this or any of my other stories, feel free to like, subscribe, tip, pledge, and/or share with friends and social media sites. If you wish to promote in other forums, you can secure permission @thedaniwriter
About the Creator
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Comments (5)
This is both surreal and visceral at the same time. I love it!
Brilliant! And hilarious!
Loved the line "Nature's a comedian"! This was s brilliant poem! Loved it so much!
3 foot slinky. Lol. This is great, and Corn flakes are blah.
There was so much fantastic about this! I have 4 kids and can completely relate to this struggle. Clever and fun, well done :)