Pasture Poem by Jefferson Carter

Pasture

Rating: 2.9


To a narcissist, all
the world’s a mirror.
The day I misread
the no trespassing sign
in the laundromat window
as no trepanning, I retired
from narcissism. I stopped
worrying about my headaches.
I’m not so lonely now
& even a goat isn’t just
a goat. I told my neighbor
my lawn’s a pasture & today
I saw a herd, fainting goats
he calls them, grazing there.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Patti Masterman 03 August 2013

I am always misreading signs and it is almost as if the part of my brain causing it has a sense of humor (as yours obviously does!) . Also, my brain in sleep assigns me words to exercise in wakeful hours. Todays word is 'obviate' which you must admit I got obviously close to in this comment.

1 2 Reply
Aftab Alam Khursheed 23 June 2013

Though you brought but this is the world to sketch own image......If pasture became a suffocating house whose fault

1 1 Reply
Yasmin Khan 23 June 2013

After breaking the mirror that showed only your image you feel not so lonely, a bit convoluted write

1 1 Reply
Bri Edwards 04 July 2013

i imagine you, JC, wish the comments below sounded more like those written by EFL readers/writers! i enjoyed the poem for the the uniqueness of images, real or imagined..... i'm not sure which are which. if i were viewing the world as a mirror i would think at times that i would want to cover the mirror to blot out the image, and other times i would want to enlarge the mirror and wipe it as clean as can be. in other words, when i think of looking in a mirror, i hope to see a pleasing image and the world is not always a pleasing image. i could give my thoughts about each line i have a question about, or a comment on, i suppose, but usually i don't feel like, or don't think i should try, analyzing too much. it can detract too much from the reader's enjoyment and the author's enjoyment. a comment you wrote to another poet leads me to believe you do not appreciate rhyming. i enjoy making up and reading rhymes..... if they sound good to me. my reaching for rhymes does control me a bit but also helps to direct me. sometimes the rhyming is (almost?) the only thing i like about another poet's poem. but your poem needs no rhymes to please me. i would be interested to hear if this is a personal account of your life or someone else's or if it is something you made up. at our new-to-us home, near the northern california coast, our lawn looks like a pasture since we stopped having it mowed. i do a little natural weed control, but we enjoy the natural look, and save money and conserve fuel, even though our neighbor is not pleased visually. the wildflowers (weeds?) are quite attractive. we have halfheartedly discussed getting a goat. if we do i hope it doesn't faint away. thanks for sharing.

1 1 Reply
Luz Hanaii 18 May 2019

Enlightening and humorous, thank you for sharing.

0 0 Reply
Matt Mooney 22 June 2017

A most entertaining piece of poetry that has sent me off on a treasure trove to find some of the words you use that make for such fine metaphors! You made me sit up and think about how we think!

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Pamela Sinicrope 04 June 2017

Even a goat isn't a goat and a narcissist too busy looking at his reflection can't read clearly. Unnatural selection is at work and if the narcissist retires, his neighbor is more likely to send over his goats to help clean up his yard. I too am fascinated by the idea of the fainting goats and why humans like having them around. Weirdly interesting.

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Terry Collett 22 May 2017

You are an engaging poet. I find myself drawn into your poems by the words and images.

0 0 Reply
Shania K. Younce 18 March 2014

A very lovely poem. Well said. Bien!

0 0 Reply
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