Poemetry by T.A. Barnhart

2020-10-13

it’s not mandatory
that i be
irritated, angry, or
upset all the damn time.
no one requires
me to respond
to the shittiness of the world,
or of Dodgers pitching,
with these dark,
unpleasant emotions.
if getting angry
as often as i do
would ever fix anything,
then it wouldn’t be
so pathetically stupid.
now matter how loudly
i shout at the tv
or how viciously
i reply in twitter,
the world keeps on truckin’
as if i weren’t even here.
can i take a hint?
why not do something
for me
that makes things better
for me?

i like it here
in this quiet place
undisturbed
by my powerless
anger,
my inept
irritation.
my silence 
has the same impact
on the world
as my noise.
it’s just easier
to sleep
and to wake
without my brain
screaming
into my own face.


©TA Barnhart October 13, 2020