05 April 2010

April Poem A Day Challenge Day 5

Day 5, and things seem to be going along fairly well. No prompts that send the muse packing. Yet.

From Poetic Asides:
"For today's prompt, write a TMI poem (or too much information poem)."

This was an good, if broad prompt. My first thoughts ran to poems that provided too much information - all those gross and intimate details that resemble a train wreck where you can't look away even though you're nauseous. But that would be taking the easy way out, and if you've learned nothing else by now you should realize I never take the easy path when the hard one is available. I had to let the idea percolate for a while before anything interesting came to me.

The other day I discovered the remote control for my tv was reluctant to do its job. Logically (for me) I decided it needed new batteries. Electronic gadgets always need fresh go juice, right? I couldn't remember the last time I changed out the batteries in my Implements O' Information. It's one of three remotes required to operate cable/tv/DVD player. Turn on, put down, pick up the other one, turn on put down, pick up number one to adjust volume/channels, number two for features, number three for starting the DVD. . . launching the space shuttle would appear to be far easier than tuning into this week's episode of Lost. But I digress. (Hey, it's what I do, something's got to build that word count.)

Off to the local electronics store I went, mainly because I didn't feel like braving the big-box store and the local shack store was next to the pet store and before the grocery store. I could get all my piddly store-ing done in one trip. I ran in, drooled over the iPod Touches, (I own the Classic iPod that Wouldn't Die) grabbed the double A's, and tossed them on the checkout counter. And was asked for my phone number before I finished fishing the wad of cash from my pocket. Last time I asked "Why?", I was treated to the corporate spiel and furtive glances from the poor cashier, who felt harassed by my refusal to cheerfully toe the company line. I replied with a "No thanks", which further confused the poor teenager into asking "Um, name?"

A slow learner. "No thanks. Just take my money, please." It took him a minute or two to bypass the nag screens and actually ring up my purchase and take my money. This incident lead to my poem for today's prompt. A little artistic license on actual events.


To Better Serve You
by Constance Brewer

You ask for my phone
number, I hesitate, wonder
why you need that information
after all, I'm just here to buy
two double A batteries.
I plan to pay with cash, so
there is no earthly reason
for you to need to know
where I live, my phone
number, all that jazz,
unless you intend to check
up on me, to see if I really
used the batteries in my
smoke detector, or got home
and popped them into
the game remote instead.


.

3 comments:

Barry Napier said...

So yeah...used the TMI prompt and wrote a pretty disturbing poem. Good thing it's from a fictional perspective...

Constance Brewer said...

Hey, we're allowed to exaggerate, elaborate, or just plain fudge. All's fair in love and poetry.

Anonymous said...

The excellent and duly message.