Achieving Notoriety Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Achieving notoriety can be claimed,
To bring on changes.
Even having a name someone else has,
That may be the same...
Comparisons are made by those who attest,
What they knew and when...
As if they kept a diary,
With entries in it to reflect what came next.

Achieving notoriety may be the aim,
For those seeking fame and fortune.
But the ones who seek neither,
And for whatever the reason they succeed...
Out from the cracks and crevices of woodwork,
Come others who suddenly...
Become critics who critique every movement made,
To convince another they have an expertise...
About someone known they knew who has succeeded.

'I remember the days when they were little kids.
And, they were smart too.
Getting A's and B's as we all skipped happily to school.
We use to go to plays and operas and things like that.
And they live in a home scattered with antiques,
As I looked around to observe other artifacts.'

~That's very creative on your part.
I knew them too.
And we lived in the projects.
One was always taking out the garbage.
Hated school and chores to do.
Was a latchkey kid and lied about his age,
To join the military to get away.
Got tired of carrying oil cans while others sat on theirs.~

'Are we talking about the same people? '

~I am.
But my memory is not as creative as yours.~

'Well, which one achieved fame and notoriety? '

~Shouldn't you know?
I'm listening to you making the claims.
With no shame at all to distort what's true.
AND...
If a notoriety has infact been achieved,
I'm sure it was not done easily or with glamor.~

'Can I quote you on that? '