the most important person in the house

our choices now come at a rapid fire clip
scrolling through endless libraries of chaff to find the wheat
and this prompts a million tiny decisions
no wonder we are soul-fatgiued
show our taste - our choices
arrange the stream into a particular shape
(not our shape)
the pieces that fit the template
(not our pieces.
we didn't make those)
no creation in this house of cards
the walnut shell game
guess which one hides the good thing
the pea, if chosen, which makes you wiser, more discriminating, better dressed, more interesting intellectual pretty happy funny disaffected
all this is happening under the careful watch of marketing minds
more brains or one brain doesn't really make much difference
look who's telling you they're the most important person in the house
so when i judge myself harshly
fail to use my tools of madness in unexpectedly authentic ways
who says whether i walk the plank
who cares when i have already chosen the long drink of the sea

© e. e. stanley 6/22/12