jonberger

SOCIETAL GPS

The time
has come
for you
to take stock of your place in the universe,
for you to assess
and reassess
just where you belong.

And then
refine your position.
Redefine your opinion of yourself.
You are no threat.
You are not dangerous.
No one is creeped out by you
– well, they are.
You are creepy, after all,
but: creepy like a cockroach
not creepy like a tarantula
on your tongue.

You are common.
You are insignificant.
Much as think
or fear
or suspect,
Much as you may secretly wish it,
you haunt no dreams
torture no innocents.

You are smaller than you believe
which, really,
should be a relief, but,
I suspect,
is not.

MRS. M

Mrs Miller, could you tell me
when Fiona will be back in town?
I really miss her
and I kinda wish she’d come back.
Have you heard from her
or know how she’s doing
or whom?

I’m sorry.
I shouldn’t be pressing you
for this sort of information.
I know you oughtn’t tell some boy
about your daughter.
I get it
but
I kind of need to know
about Fiona
and she won’t say a word.

Please help me.
Tell me something
or tell her to call me
or love me
or –

Mrs. Miller,
forget unsaid anything.
Could we start over?
How are you doing?
What’s up with your family?

METAMORPHOSIS

You loved me then
when I was young
and dangerous
and insensitive.
You thought I was the cat’s meow
or whatever the kids are saying these days
and you made me love you, too.

It took some time
some effort
some sluttiness on your part
but you made me yours:
wholly
completely.

And after I was in your hands
you decided to remake
mold me
shape me
into something better.
But better than what?
You wanted me then.
I was the thing
you had sought to capture.
Succeeding,
why seek to transform me
into something new?

I am what you made me:
caring
responsible
mature.
Is this what you want?

If not
I suppose I could change
again.

FIVE WORDS

If I had five words
to say to you
I believe they would be:
Lithium, endangered,
erotic,
restraints and order.

As it turns out,
I only have one more word for you.
Would you like to hear it?

Look
you’ve got a choice
just like everyone else on this flattened sphere:
you can sit in a bench in the park
all day long
feeding pigeons
(which also feeds the rats.
True story: look it up)

or
you can search for success,
hunt it down,
grab it by the throat,
sucking all you can from its dying flesh
until all that’s left is a dedicated corpse,
waiting to be skullfucked.

Those are your options.
Really.
When it’s outlined clearly,
it’s not so hard to choose
is it?

So?
Think it over.
Decide your future.
Make your choice:
you have twelve minutes.

Refrain

if you know what’s good for you.
Do not take
that sort of tone with New York City.
New York doesn’t have to take that kind of shitfrom the likes of you
and hasn’t
since before you were born.

New York is not fond of ultimata
and doesn’t react well to them.
New York isn’t exactly famous
for playing well with others.

It would be smarter
in fact
to just apologize to the city
beg a quiet forgiveness
and go about your business.
If you don’t,
I would not recommend
spending so much time
in this town.

Wait: really?
You don’t wanna date me?
You wouldn’t do me?
Really: you?
I’m shocked.
chagrinned
I didn’t realize
that I was so beneath you.

it’s not like
you’re entirely my cup of grog
anyway.
In fact,
I’d only just deigned to ask you out.
I thought you’d do
in a pinch
and I really wanted to pinch someone.
Anyone.

I understand
that I might not be your world.
I know I’m imperfect
and unpopular
and irksome but
if I’d lowered my standards for you,
why on earth can’t you reciprocate?