Might of Swipe

L. B. Mek

 

They call it therapy, now

so overwhelmed 

by its capacity to monopolise 

people’s minds 

that, retail gluttony of modernity

 

so fast – paced

by greed

is its development

bankrolled 

that even the word

swipe

is now, outdated

in what time, elapsed 

since I started inking

this damning, write.

 

Seek ye

a credit line, salvation

with shackles, as its reward 

or inevitable demise

as its promise

 

then swipe, click, Scan

or maybe soon, merely blink

your fiscal, freedom 

for the price

of that, trending

yet, soon forgotten 

must-have to pile

upon those others, shelved away

in wasteful corners

of your, spiderwebbed cupboards…

 

Just, remember 

they call it therapy

for its ‘by the hour’, price point

consultation, interest rates

not, for its utility to better your life!

 

 

© L. B. Mek

March 2022

Comments16

  • spilleronsheet

    Chasing for security in life
    Don’t know what should be called as fiscal freedom in mind
    What amount shall hold secure
    What needs shall be called optimal
    Truly as your poetry
    Powerfully it speaks β€œ Might of swipe β€œ which reaps

    • L. B. Mek

      limits are subjective
      proportionate to your means, but alas
      if you're in need of fiscal help
      with such high interest rates, as burdens
      then, we must heed those danger signs..
      (thank you for your insightful comments, dear poet)

    • Paul Bell

      Buy today, die tomorrow, the byword to a greater life, though, granted you won't know anything about it.
      Now, can I ''interest'' you in this new card. You can literally buy the store with it, don't worry about the small print, well, at least not for the moment.

      • L. B. Mek

        so very true, dear poet
        and that key word being: 'moment'
        our youth exist in a world, evermore free'd
        form theological or mythical, dogma's
        ergo
        a life, with no 'afterlife's, consequence'
        death, as a sudden full stop
        to arrive anytime..
        and we tell them
        they're free, to be anything
        they Choose to be..
        but what do we offer, as a guide
        as a didactive heroic trope or parable, example
        for them to aspire towards?
        MTV's 'Cribs'
        'Teenage mothers as documentary, stars'
        and promote, plastic aesthetics
        for get rich, quick
        celeb lifestyles, where all
        is all flash photography mirages
        of diamonds and crimson carpets..
        (then we ask them
        what do you want to be
        when you grow up?
        encourage them to 'dream big')
        and watch, as they fall for those same
        systemic, financial trappings
        generation after wasted, generation..

      • Paul Bell

        Buy today, die tomorrow, the byword to a greater life, though, granted you won't know anything about it.
        Now, can I ''interest'' you in this new card. You can literally buy the store with it, don't worry about the small print, well, at least not for the moment.

      • Fay Slimm.

        Retail Therapy came as a shock when I first heard the phrase and your exposure of what followed seems these days to induce changes in the word security - a haunt of a read L.B. and so very succinctly presented

        • L. B. Mek

          from window shopping, Hollywood depictions
          of bagel and coffee fasting, breakfasts
          while eyes, feasted on Tiffany blood diamonds
          to modernity's, food bank queues
          while donning air force one Nike snickers
          and platinum chains..
          there's a thin line of threading, explaining it all
          so starkly transparent
          and yet, so seemingly impossible to prevent..
          (we can but hope, dear Fay
          that somehow, we'll find a way..)
          oh btw
          (I luv the movie and its message
          and Hepburn, is my ultimate leading lady)

        • MDStone

          Gives thought to the phrase In One Fell Swoop or in this case Swipe. Thanks for a glimpse into reality. Which pill will you take, Red or Blue? Enjoyed the thought provoking truth, LB.

          • L. B. Mek

            I choose to abstain from pill taking, dear poet
            rather just stay clear minded and think
            and hope..
            'felled, by one swipe'
            has a ring to it, in this context at least..
            thank you for your witty comment
            and for kindly, choosing to understand

          • Draven

            Nicely written, and some very brutal truths there.

            • L. B. Mek

              glad you enjoyed the read, dear poet
              and yes, that mirror
              reveals some harsh truth's
              and so our wording, too
              at times, may feel brutal
              admittedly
              my tone is a little judgemental
              but with purpose, I meant well..

            • dean langmuir

              Very good write LB.take care

              • L. B. Mek

                thank you, dear poet
                stay safe

              • dusk arising

                Call me old-fashioned if you like but retail therapy i can do without. Somehow getting older is getting far less of a needy individual for me. Indeed I rarely venture into the shopping areas downtown. Gone are those young aspiring days of window shopping, of much want and little cash. Credit cards had just become available I recall and inflation was ridiculous in double figures making it cheaper to buy on a card rather than to save-up. By the time you'd saved up the price had gone up twice LOL.
                Yes, plenty of cupboard space needed for those on a course of retail therapy. But maybe to be a real player in that game one has a very active ebay selling account too, or one of the now many derivatives.

                • L. B. Mek

                  indeed, that ebay
                  chain linking systematic, ideology
                  of dumping our fiscal mistakes
                  on that next gullible, victim..
                  how wisely, you bridge
                  two starkly, differing
                  economical circumstances to operate within
                  and yet, then
                  as now
                  that mighty plastic, swipe
                  reigns supreme
                  over so many peoples cause for suffering..
                  thank you for your insightful comment, Dusk

                • Bella Shepard

                  Ah, the security of stuff, and more stuff, and more stuff, and then it escalates to items, objects and soon the only way you can feel better is to score some goods. A huge price to pay for that transitory feeling of well being. Unfortunately we can't swipe our way to happiness. Personally I opt for ice cream. A great write and right on the money.

                  • L. B. Mek

                    thank you! dear poet and I too
                    champion, ice cream 'therapy'
                    (within reasonable dosage, of course
                    neither of us
                    are here promoting diabetes, as a cure
                    to people's debt issues
                    that would just be swapping, the D's
                    in our life's woes..)
                    lol

                  • Rozina

                    Powerful truth in your lines. Excellent write.

                    • L. B. Mek

                      thank you! dear poet
                      how kind

                    • Neville


                      swipe me with a sharp bit o plastic ..
                      cut it off & retail me why dont'cha ..

                      can't buy ya love tho can it ... nice one Mek πŸ™‚

                      • L. B. Mek

                        'yup - nope, well erm...
                        ehhh, that is
                        to say..... ah
                        not the, lasting
                        kind..
                        Ahem!
                        I mean theoretically and what not
                        moving-on, then
                        quickly...
                        (imagine Bertie Wooster's voice)
                        lol
                        (sorry I couldn't resist
                        forgive me, Hyung
                        I can be rather, too - crude
                        with my senseless, humour
                        at times)
                        thank you!

                      • Eugene S.

                        I ascribe the same sentiments to physical doctors and believe that it all comes down to some form of inwardness. Inwardness seems to be the modern way of handling things. Thanks for capturing that. May we all care more about our neighbors!

                      • Hakikur Rahman

                        A pertinent issue of the society. Good points.

                        • L. B. Mek

                          yes pertinent and so very prevalent!
                          thank you, dear poet

                        • Job welime

                          The truth in this piece,,,
                          So raw and vulnerable,,,
                          Nice write dear poet.

                          • L. B. Mek

                            thank you, dear poet
                            glad you could relate and enjoyed the read

                          • Kittykoala

                            "salvation

                            with shackles, as its reward"
                            Very impactful poem. Our constant reliance on instant gratification to satisfy ourselves and take nothing of value past that moment, it is terrifying. The more we buy, the more we need, the less we have. A dangerous cycle indeed.
                            Great and horrible truths here.

                            • L. B. Mek

                              'Our constant reliance on instant gratification
                              to satisfy ourselves and take
                              nothing of value past that moment, it is terrifying.
                              The more we buy, the more we need, the less
                              we have. A dangerous cycle indeed.'
                              (best poetry on this page! by a mile
                              thank you for gracing my humble page
                              with your eloquent comment, dear Poet)

                            • sorenbarrett

                              A prophesy fulfilled, now tap, soon too to be gone. The divide grows greater. Here in Brazil one of the greatest impediments of democracy is too many have nots.

                              • L. B. Mek

                                'or that sinister, festering assumption
                                of what we have, not being enough...'
                                yeah, its the same
                                all over the world, dear poet
                                we spend to escape, that feeling
                                of inadequacy or boredom
                                and then we scavenge, to pay
                                for that moment of weakness
                                then we get tired
                                from all our scavenging
                                start thinking, is this all there is to life
                                and to escape, well
                                we spend - of course
                                and it all, infuriatingly
                                begins again...!
                                (still, at least you reside
                                in one of the most beautiful
                                parts of the world
                                what a blessing, to wake-up
                                to a Brazilian sunshine
                                and go to sleep
                                with a samba's beat, teasing your ears
                                as lullaby
                                to your Carnaval of dreams..!)



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