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is now, outdated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
-
Author:
L. B. Mek (
Offline) - Published: April 15th, 2022 02:49
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 74
- Users favorite of this poem: spilleronsheet, Paul Bell, Eugene S..
Offline)
Comments16
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 “ Might of swipe “ which reaps
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)
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.
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..
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.
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
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)
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.
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
Nicely written, and some very brutal truths there.
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..
Very good write LB.take care
thank you, dear poet
stay safe
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.
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
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.
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
Powerful truth in your lines. Excellent write.
thank you! dear poet
how kind
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 🙂
'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!
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!
Amen!
A pertinent issue of the society. Good points.
yes pertinent and so very prevalent!
thank you, dear poet
The truth in this piece,,,
So raw and vulnerable,,,
Nice write dear poet.
thank you, dear poet
glad you could relate and enjoyed the read
"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.
'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)
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.
'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..!)
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.