I Want To Be Poem by Laurence Overmire

I want to be
A coffee pot
And hiss and steam and drip so smooth
And people will say
Damn, that’s a good cup of coffee.

I want to be
A popcorn popper
I’ll flip them kernels with a casual air
And puff and crackle
And people will say
Damn, this popcorn is de-lish.

I want to be
A big TV
I’ll gabble and blab and mesmerize
I’ll quibble and fibble and hypnotize
And people will say
Damn, I’m sleepy, it’s time for bed.

I want to be
Something other than me
Something that someone will care about
Something that will mean something to someone day in and day out
And people will say—

Wait a minute, who cares what people will say
Damn, I’ll be just what I am.


(Previously published in Maelstrom, Vol 2, Issue 1, Dec 1998)