Teach Me Not To Tease The Gods & Blue Monday Poem by Margaret Alice

Teach Me Not To Tease The Gods

Today I declared my mastery of pain.
Tonight I despair and it’s worse than
the hurt; I laughed at the gods – who
are laughing at me; I am deserted

Knowing the depths of hopelessness.
Whereas pain was exciting in red,
this passion is dead, the thoughts in
my head feel like ice chips, burning

In cold emptiness, cauterizing nerve
endings, freezing depths. I have only
surface consciousness left; why did I
brazenly say pain meant little to me?

The gods must have heard, sent this
attack so I can see an allergy is not
to be laughed at – I must fall on my
knees, beg forgiveness from vengeful

gods for disdaining pain. Yet I know
however contrite I am my indomitable
spirit will rise again, I shall fight
back without sympathy or commonsense.

How can I become humble when arrogance
runs deep in my blood? Please make me
humble, teach me not to tease the gods,
to accept their power, bow gracefully…


May Blue Monday Never Come…

I brought them all home, three letters
to the President sent by mavericks and
dissidents, messages tearfully translated
for the one-eyed Cyclopian Troll

Interpol; the template for the new
Production Sheet to record my monthly
deeds; the Pesticide Document to be
checked, corrected and edited…

Lacking the inspiration to look at them,
though it would lighten my burden, change
blue Monday into a sunshine day in a
glorious way, but I am a truant child

Interested in a million things, except
in what I have to do, improving reality
in daydreaming, doing my household
chores with new relish

Washing clothes, going ferreting with
Nici in town, anything and everything
that makes it impossible to settle
down and do my work…

May blue Monday never come…