Lines

We are born as innocents. We are polluted by advice - Thoreau

some lines are crooked

other straight

some need to be realigned

before it's too late

some should be marched in

others taken down

no turning back

straight smile

crooked frown

some form the horizontal bars of a jail

incarcerating and doomed to fail

no chance of ever posting bail

some wear as the lines of age

turning life's sticky page

paid as sin's wage

some are drawn in the sand

others with indelible ink

no matter what we think

some shouldn't be crossed

like those drawn by the boss

especially those painted in

bright

red

luscious

lip

gloss

Author's Note

"All good things are wild and free." - Thoreau

Reviews

[barleygirl]

I love all the imaginative ways you incorporate many different ideas of "lines"! Love your rhyme & rhythm, as well as tongue-in-cheek play on our human foibles. The ending is particularly fun since we suspect this guy will actually cross that line regardless of what he says . . . the single-word lines make it feel like the storyline is slowing down & stopping at the end, where this guy is distracted & probably plans to get off on those red lips! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Pete]

wow. i think you got everything i was thinking as i wrote this. you have a very keen eye for detail and meaning, especially hidden. yes, foibles indeed and yes the slow ending and stopping at the end was how easily we can become trapped and torn as we wrestle back and forth over those lines. to cross or not to cross, that is the question ... :)

[Lydia Shutter]

A smile at the end of this poem. Indeed, lines drawn with shiny lipgloss should not be crossed no matter how inviting they seem to be. So many lines....and you have drawn them all with your words here, Pete. I enjoyed this one. Lydi**

[Pete]

lol, they don't call them jezebels for nothin'. thanks lydi ... :)