Different Topics-- Atwood, Sadness, Aging

~ Feeling a little sad today. I shouldn't worry so much about how long it is taking me to finish college since there have been numerous obstacles tossed in my way. Since each obstacle has been different it has taken time to find a way to overcome; I wish that thought would ease the sadness, but oh well.


~ I picked up Margaret Atwood's Morning in the Burned House this evening, and here is the first poem I saw when I opened the book:

A SAD CHILD

You're sad because you're sad.
It's psychic It's the age. It's chemical.
Go see a shrink or take a pill,
or hug your sadness like an eyeless doll
you need to sleep.

Well, all children are sad
but some get over it.
Count your blessing. Better than that,
buy a hat. Buy a coat or pet.
Take up dancing to forget.

Forget what?
Your sadness, your shadow,
whatever it was that was done to you
the day of the lawn party
when you came inside flushed with the sun,
your mouth sulky with sugar,
in your new dress with the ribbon
and the ice-cream smear,
and said to yourself in the bathroom,
I am not the favourite child.

My darling, when it comes
right down to it
and the light fails and the fog rolls in
and you're trapped in your overturned body
under a blanket or burning care,

and the red flame is seeping out of you
and igniting the tarmac beside your head
or else the floor, or else the pillow,
none of us is;
or else we all are.


~ Today, I shopped for a new ink cartridge for the new printer. Clark Howard is right-- you might as well buy a new printer instead of an ink cartridge. I almost did; a Lexmark printer was on sale for $24.99, which was the cost of my cartridge, but the printer was sold out.


~ Another year older tomorrow. oh, the joy.