This poem was the product of a twelve minute writing session with the Stratford Arts Alliance Writers Group that meets every second Saturday. The writing prompt was “making the bitter sweeter.”
Things that are bitter are better when sweet
But just adding sugar is a bit of a cheat
The question I ponder is how to sweeten the deal
Without sprinkling toxic dust on every goddamn meal
Is there a sweetness in life that we can no longer feel
Because we’ve sugar-coated it all, like a milkshake made of veal
Because I don’t know about you but that sounds disgusting
And I’d rather not eat it, I’d rather drive in my mustang
Does a nicer car add sweetness to a bitter man’s life
Or is stuff a distraction that amplifies strife
I dream of the house, and the 2.5 kids
and the dog and the fences
But that dream’s hit the skids.
Mainly because I’m a homo so kids aren’t too likely
Unless they belong to someone else, and are imported like Nike’s
And I don’t have a dog or any white fences
And I’ve dealt with my share of confused sideways glances
Being myself is the sweetest thing I can do
It’s hard, and it’s easy and it’s an ongoing thing
But I’m marrying myself, and keeping the ring.
Being wholly myself seems to make others bitter.
But fuck that, I don’t care, I’ll just roast them on twitter.
