Mythical Middle Ground

Photo © Rachel Hoyt 2011

While many in my country are bickering about

who's to blame for all the things that they must live without,

poisoning the earth's aura with anger and rage

instead of working to find ways to get on the same page,

I see that the whole world is really not all that different.

Many feel their life's lacking.  All are seeking merriment.

The recession is everywhere.  Commercial vacancies abound.

In the world's largest mall, very few stores can be found.

The fact we're in these hard times makes it more interesting

to see the new spending opportunities the economy brings.

A new company in Norway is renting mini-submarines out.

I certainly can't afford it, but I'm not going to pout.

I also can't afford less wrinkles or a more perfect smile,

but I hear being perfectly imperfect has been popular a while.

I sometimes enjoy a nice, trendy theme restaurant,

but the Cultural Revolution brought memories that haunt.

I always thought I was a gal who enjoyed the extremes,

yet these days I feel it's not as much fun as it seems.

Sure, the perfect middle ground may not actually exist,

but is the only alternative to spend our whole lives pissed?

Our picket lines and spending opportunities are getting bolder,

but our sympathy towards others is quick growing colder.

While I still admire those who can stand up and fight,

finding middle ground now seems the more important plight.

© Rachel Hoyt 2011.  All rights reserved.

This poem is being shared at D'Verse Poets Pub's Open Link Night. 

I suggest you head there to read more poetry tonight!

The Coupon Craze

Image by Michal Marcol via freedigitalphoto.net

I'm curious about how this Groupon craze

will economically impact us in future days.

Are mass half-off discounts really realistic?

Or was the instigator a bit too optimistic?

As much as I love never paying full price

and wish all shopping deals were that nice,

I wonder how they will recover the profit?

I doubt they'll settle for earning a droplet.

I think it's the current recession's Catch-22:

using coupons to spur spending from me and you.

We need more spending to grow the economy,

but with coupons you need even more frivolity.

I remember when all coupons were totally uncool.

Now using them proudly's the new golden rule.

I hope some are spending even more than before

otherwise we are merely evening the score.

I, for one, don't want wages, quality or service to suffer --

hope the coupon craze won't demand that as a buffer.

Business owners are already starting to complain.

Are they just being whiny or really feeling income strain?

Does it really even matter? Who exactly is in charge?

Will we / Can we change our tendency to live life large?

Must we cut back at all if life's affordable with coupons?

Perhaps we'll know before the dictionary includes "groupons".

© Rachel Hoyt 2011.  All rights reserved.


This poem has been linked into the Thursday Poets' Rally.
Come join in the fun and up the poem tally!

My NaPoWriMo poem #22.

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