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Saturday Ritual
by: Lori

five thousand color photos
when it's all in black and white
turn
smile
freeze

and when you see yourself
in the crazy girl on t.v.
just look
right in the mirror
and admire your new jeans
they were too small last month

and people's eyes
flash through
as you wonder
if remembering to forget
is an oxymoron

or just a moron in a room full
of monkeys
laughing and chanting
that you are
that you
that

will never be clear

and you take
all the pills
and you smoke
all the drugs
and you drink
all the rum
and you chase it
with lemonade- what a beautiful summer drink

when you could have
any guy in the room
and all you want is yourself
everyone's beautiful
and you see too many ghosts

the ditch is a bed
and the voices scream
when the fire goes out
with the bang of a fire cracker
barely singing- from a candle to a flame

and even when
they push you down
you never look up
because the future's
consuming
and you think with
your gut

empty of food
and full of drink

and the world sings along
in a too close
wrong key
harmony you hate

so just pick up your shoes
and get in the car
and bump your way home

and avoid them
and avoid us
and avoid you
cause you'll never
find me

©2000 Lori Kort. Reprinted with Permission.

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