Never Drink Anything Blue
But always keep your options unzipped and
available to whatever slips in; the snake
lives in the attic for the rodents,
but occasionally takes a fledgling peewee
from a nest near its exit, while the scorpion
generally avoids light except for those nights
when moths seem too delectable to pass up.
Our governor whistles Beethoven but switches to
the hymnal when campaigning, and I’ve announced
a need for organic zucchini when craving a craft
beer. Confession is good for the soul, except
when it’s bad for the body. “Think with words,
not with ideas,” Sontag wrote, and Williams said
“no idea but in things.” Of course he was just writing
a poem. Baking is chemistry – measure carefully –
but cook with abandon! Whoever said “keep your
friends close but your enemies closer,” slept
alone most nights, or not at all. Born in Louisiana,
I am the product of an illegal union, but which
half should be interred where? Both sun and
moon rise and set. Is anything incorruptible?
Drink everything blue. Everything.
“Never Drink Anything Blue” was drafted during the August 2015 Tupelo Press 30/30 Project, and appeared here in March 2016. Many thanks to Stop Dragging the Panda, who sponsored and provided the title.
O at the Edges 
I’ll be sure to take this advice…. 🙂
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😄
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The entire poem reads like a bit of advice based on wisdom and experience.
And, blue is an amazing color anyway.
“Whoever said “keep your
friends close but your enemies closer,” slept
alone most nights, or not at all.”
I love what you did with the quoted lines above, Robert. Peace.
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Thank you, Tre!
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You’re very much welcome, Robert! 🙂
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Love this one, Robert!
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Thanks, Sarah.
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Chances are there to be taken 🙂
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They are and they will be!
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Ah yes… anti-miscegenation laws: no “mixing” with other humans! You could be a Russian soy using the name Smith but you couldn’t be a patriot with the last name Tanaka!
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Yep.
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Ooops! I meant “spy”. I suppose you could be a Russian soy also!
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But what would the sauce taste like?
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borscht and weltschmerz?
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Throw in a little dashi, and it might be ok!
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Oh yes. Perfect. Love the lines about the governor.
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Our politicians are so full of hypocrisy!
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I just watched The Post. Amazing film. If you haven’t seen it you must.
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Funny you should mention that. Lissa and I have decided to go watch The Post on Friday. 🙂
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Let me know what you think!
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Thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Such a timely message.
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It should be required viewing!
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Yep. To paraphrase a line from the movie, “the press works for the governed, not the governors.” I wish people would remember that.
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And yet FOX has blurred all that.
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Talk about fake news…
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Love this one, Robert!, but how about a nod for the title?
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Oops. Somehow I failed to copy the acknowledgment. Done, now.
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We are bundles of contradictions, all of us. I’ve heard green beer is good too…(K)
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So true. Hey, I’ll drink green beer!
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Any beer is good!
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🍺🍺
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When reading your title I immediately thought of a delicious Blue Curacao Cocktail, but on further reading I discovered your wonderfully delicious words, all mixed together like a cocktail…
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Shaken AND stirred! Ha!
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“…just writing a poem.” Funny how these little poems can get under our skin. This one ends like a tea party with the mad hatter. The drink only needs a tag attached: “Drink me.” 🙂 I loved this poem.
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Thank you, Julie. There is a bit of the Mad Hatter in this one. 🙂
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