Change
by Louis Jenkins
All those things that have gone from your life,
moon boots, TV trays and the Soviet Union, that
seem to have vanished, are really only changed.
Dinosaurs did not disappear from the earth but
evolved into birds and crock pots became bread
makers and then the bread makers all went to
rummage sales along with the exercise bikes.
Everything changes. It seems at times (only for
a moment) that your wife, the woman you love,
might actually be your first wife in another form.
It's a thought not to be pursued….Nothing is the
same as it used to be. Except you, of course,
you haven't changed…well, slowed down a bit,
perhaps. It's more difficult nowadays to deal with
the speed of change, disturbing to suddenly find
yourself brushing your teeth with what appears
to be a flashlight. But essentially you are the
same as ever, constant in your instability.
All those things that have gone from your life,
moon boots, TV trays and the Soviet Union, that
seem to have vanished, are really only changed.
Dinosaurs did not disappear from the earth but
evolved into birds and crock pots became bread
makers and then the bread makers all went to
rummage sales along with the exercise bikes.
Everything changes. It seems at times (only for
a moment) that your wife, the woman you love,
might actually be your first wife in another form.
It's a thought not to be pursued….Nothing is the
same as it used to be. Except you, of course,
you haven't changed…well, slowed down a bit,
perhaps. It's more difficult nowadays to deal with
the speed of change, disturbing to suddenly find
yourself brushing your teeth with what appears
to be a flashlight. But essentially you are the
same as ever, constant in your instability.
whew, glad you discovered this poem because it is amazing! One recent ABC Nightline featured a short about a new book titled, Obsolete:An Encyclopedia, by a 30-year old woman who said she felt all this change and the book is the result.
ReplyDeleteRe: books.... I see you are currently steeped in Prodigal Summer. I read it a few years ago and also found it hard to put down despite the need to do just about anything else!
I am absolutely constant in my instability.....and most everything else.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
smles
Fab and funny. Always a treat to pop in. Crock pots evolve into slow cookers and become fashionable once more.. in stainless steel. I have one and can't believe it is the reincarnation of my Grandma's '70's floral one. xx
ReplyDeleteTV trays...whatever did happen to them? It's not like people don't still eat in front of the TV. Have we simply become inured to spilling stuff on ourselves?
ReplyDeleteI hopped here from Annie's blog and I am glad I did.
ReplyDelete...disturbing to suddenly find
ReplyDeleteyourself brushing your teeth with what appears
to be a flashlight. But essentially you are the
same as ever, constant in your instability.
Thank you for the laugh and the reminder...