Synapses and Other Conjunctions
My advice? Wear boots, even among the dead.
Our barefoot friend, having separated the rattler’s
head from its body, picked up the six-foot
length to show off, and stepped back onto
the head, which though not alive, still managed
to squeeze venom from the ducts and inject it
through its fangs, into his foot. Consider this
a metaphor, if you must, but don’t belabor
it. This morning I am searching for
connections. The plumber says that when
the overflow is clogged, the sink won’t drain
properly, and I notice similarities between
vision and words and the dryer’s vent — how
twists and hard angles and blurry lint may
confuse the issue, perhaps even start a fire.
And before you say, yes, yes, that’s what
I want, a fire, consider other possibilities,
not to mention consequences. Confuse
one word for another, and you’re an idiot.
Let your finger tap the wrong key, and the
incorrect letter provides a glimpse into
the future, or at least beyond the neighbor’s
closed door, a passage of signals impossible
to predicate. But differences exist: decapitate
poets, and they won’t bite, or at the very least
their venom will infect your nervous system
indirectly. Other advice? Pause before sending,
look before you leap (or step back). Avoid fast
food and politics. Drink good beer. Laugh often,
breathe deeply. Contemplate your footwear.
“Synapses and Other Conjunctions” was written during the August 2015 Tupelo Press 30-30 challenge, and was subsequently published in September 2016 at The Blue Nib. Many thanks to Luanne Castle for sponsoring the poem and providing the title.
Love this one, Bob: Wry and rich.
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Thanks, Cate. It was a fun poem to write.
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“how twist and hard angles and blurry lint” my favorite here/ yr advice is good advise too
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Thank you. I occasionally follow my own advice! 😮
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“And before you say, yes, yes, that’s what
I want, a fire, consider other possibilities.”
Wow!
This strikes me as sage advice for the likes of a pyromaniac teenager playing with matches in the company of her grandparents at a strip mall… Just speculating, of course.
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Well, you know, there are possibilities and there are possibilities. And then we add probabilities…
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…the outcomes of some of which I can sadly attest to. Lol! Oh, well, some scars are figurative only, and character-building, to boot.
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Some of the figurative scars hurt more than the physical ones. Ouch.
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Reblogged this on Written in the air.
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Thanks for reblogging!
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I remember this one vividly. Reminds me of my days wearing boots AND snake guards on my shins when I lived in the thick desert. It’s one of my favorites of yours. Btw, I have enjoyed your book immensely!
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Am always on the lookout for snakes when on a rural property, and I’m certain to wear my boots. And thank you, Sabrina. I’m so pleased you like the book!
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Dang Robert, telling everyone else where to look when they lose their head.
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Beware those heads!
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Footwear is important. But I often find my dyslexic typing to be illuminating…(K)
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I’ve made some excellent typos that were better than what I’d intended! Love it when that happens.
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Yes, it’s the Oracle of the Ether.
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or the misreading of my illegible handwriting for that matter…
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We won’t even go there with my scrawl. 🙂
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Love this one, Robert. Really hit home for me today.
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Thank you. I’m so pleased it struck home for you.
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Sage advice. If only I could remember it when I needed it most… 😉
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That always seems to be the case!
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Reblogged this on So Simply SO and commented:
Here’s a thoughtful snippet from someone whose brain thinks like mine, but better.
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Ha! Thank you, Sherron!
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