Have you seen my metaphors?

~

Shock has engaged me with an awful pain;

an awful gasp, and dire refrain.

For earlier, my brain, 

in the heat of some strain, 

left some metaphors 

on the seat of a train. 

~

These words you're perusing

are a vacant verse.

They've become unravelled, 

but what is worse, 

the poem I'd rehearsed

is now rather terse.

~

The theme once assumed, 

or inferred, lies derailed.

I've got boxcars of stanzas

but each one has failed. 

~

The similes are stumped,

not knowing where to sit.

The rhythms are stalled;

the rhymes barely fit.

~

The tone is on hold, 

down to a crawl.

And what's now left

is worst of all -

my friend repetition 

made appointments to scrawl. 

~

I summoned inspiration

but he never called back.

The irony I planned

has fallen off track.

~

Shall I glare at the sea? 

Shall I stare at a tree?

I can only offer this advice to thee...

~

Write things down, 

tap it in your phone, 

but don't forget to take it home.

~

Or some bright bard

might think it quite hard

to leave what's been tossed

~

                 ...and oh the cost!  

Author's Note

All fiction. I once left a pair of shorts on a train. I wondered what it would be like for a poet to forget and leave his poems there.

Reviews

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

This is brilliant loved it
But why did you nearly leave shorts in a train lol
I also cannot understand why poets would steal from other poets Ever ! I think it’s very low I’ve never done it
Liked yours a lot thanks 🙏

[Relic]

I don't remember why I had them but when I got off the train I realized I had left them behind. lol
Thanks for your comment, Julie.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Lucky you hadn’t written poem notes on a serviette

[Relic]

I have in the past and spilled water on them. :)))))

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

I believe the songwriters used to write on serviettes

[Relic]

And probably toilet paper, and white shirts...:)

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Lol yes
I’m not surprised

[Chris Shaw]

So much humour here and clever with it. I hope they weren't the shorts that you had been wearing:) As for leaving my poems on the train, I'd rather leave my honour. Fortunately I have never had to make that choice. Really appreciated this poem for us writers. Great metaphors, super write.

Chris

[Relic]

lol, thanks, Chris. :))

[Fabian G. Franklin]

This is wonderful! I grinned and laughed out loud. It's truly a "writer's write" but the humor contained reminded me of some great satirical poets including Jonathan Swift, Voltaire and the writings of Mark Twain. You did a great job on this and it's worthy of any praise I can offer on it. Big kudos on this.

[Relic]

I appreciate your comment, Fabian. Thank you. :)

[Temperance]

I love this! Writer's block it seems to be..to me. Such a clever way of relating it. Almost has a Dr. Seuss sound to it. Such an enjoyable read! Thank you! Temp

[Relic]

Thanks very much for the comment, Temp. :)

[Temperance]

You're welcome!

[redzone]

oh for goodness sake, so that box of poems I found on the NY express was yours.... have no fear, don't shed a tear, I have them safely here and will keep them for a year, or more, until you come and collect them and read them by the shore.... by the way Relic, I enjoyed reading every single one of them, made my trip into the city even better.... oh, and no metaphors were harmed in the reading...

[Relic]

Hahaha, just promise me I won't see anything familiar on your page, Redzone. Thanks a bunch. :)

[Neville]

the truth is often stranger and funnier than fiction, but in this case, it isn't, although once many long years ago, I left my young son when he was a baby on a train ... now you an beat an egg and a drum, but I dare ya to try and beat that .. Oh' n tell me, what else is a meta phor eh' :)

[Relic]

You're right! I don't think anyone can beat that one. Talk about having a heart attack.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This poem is so creative with its personification and metaphors playing metaphors.

Relic, I might have seen where they went...and for a few bucks, I could be persuaded to give you
information as to their whereabouts. :))))

[Relic]

Ha-ha I'll give you whatever you want as long as its small bills. :) Thanks, J.

[John the Baptist]

Inspiration doesn't return a lot of calls. I've been waiting on the b***h in vain for the last week.

[Relic]

Ha-ha-ha, I can only wish you luck for next week, John. Thanks for the comment. 🤣

[William Michael Reeves]

The cost of words lost would be more than I'd care to bear. But I swear when I found that book, it was only a quick look I took. Can't even imagine leaving my passion in a car pulled by an engine. Though I usually write my thoughts that take flight, I know they are right if I recall them at night without much ambition. So you see, I feel you are speaking to me.

Billigami

[Relic]

Ha-ha, well said, my friend. Thank you for your clever comment.