CALIFORNIA SYNDROME.

its easy to love life

when it tastes like saltwater taffy,

when Barbie dolls 

and electric songs

pave way for greatest sin.

Coachella nights

and cocaine days

for noteriety sake

and Instagram follows.

so we skip a few meals

and we plan a few parties

and we take a few drugs

for popularity and purpose.

and when the skies blend together

in a sick portrait of perfection

perhaps we'll be something more

than a social media body bag.

Reviews

[FlatDaddy]

I spent some years in CA in the mid 70's to early 80's, and was in a touring band based in San Diego. Never got into the drug scene; guess I was too old (mid 20's) or had enough good sense at the time. I would have stayed there, but there was this girl ...

Yeah. That's how I got back to Texas.
Niece piece, Em.

[Emunah June.]

Thank you! I appreciate it!!

[Lorry]

Yes indeedly do. And sorry to bum you out, but that syndrome has long escaped California's borders and is now heavily into a neverending world tour that will make Covid look like a lot of fuss over nothing.
But a few of us are fighting back and are as determined for it to fail as they seem to be for it to succeed. The plan is simple... get a load of old guys who just shout out what they think when speaking of social media, like "what was wrong with MySpace?" Then get their wives to wave a fan dismissively and say in a loud English accent (or a southern accent will suffice) "How thoroughly retro" whenever anyone mentions the latest social media craze, thus leaving those young whippersnappers confused that they aren't as hip and cool as they thought, Daddy-O!
That will be enough to turn the cool into less confident hermits, fearful of looking out of touch.
Yours sincerely,
Hermit in chief Lorry.
*it happens to us all rventually*
😃

[Samuel Dickens]

When I was a young boy growing up in rural Arkansas, songs by the Beach Boys and surfer movies caused me to think of California as an almost mythical place of sun and fun. Later on, I'd be stationed there for several years while in the Navy. Years have passed and times have changed, but I imagine Big Sur might still be as beautiful as ever. Your poem reminds me of the free life style I once dreamt of, but you point out that it's not all Disneyland, and there are some ugly realities that aren't nice at all.

[Michael Sun Bear]

How are folks getting stuff posted. I rarely get in, then it just times out on everything.

[Emunah June.]

Loooooots of refreshing and saving on outside programs. Makes me worry for the future of this site.

[Michael Sun Bear]

I like it. The last two lines are pungent with your message. Is there some autobiography here?

[Emunah June.]

No, no autobiograohy here. Just a critical gaze at the cult of California