Let’s get things straight
Poem: Let’s get things straight
Body heat and gravity
That’s how I’m making it work for me
To straighten things out when its destiny is to be crumpled
No longer do I wish to waste my time or be feeling disgruntled
I don’t find it inspiring to do any ironing
Review: Let’s get things straight
Upon reading the title of the poem, it has my attention, ‘straight’ away. (pardon the pun)
but I do feel as though the poet is about to make me, the reader, feel like I’m about to hear something that needs urgent attention, and it needs to be understood pronto. It’s almost as though I’ve been going down a crooked and devious path all my life and I’m about to be met with some life transforming information that will correct it all. (ok that’s sounds a bit over the top and dramatic now, doesn’t it?) So, what is it then dear poet? Are you attempting to sell something to me? Is that what it is? Hmm… I apologise dear poet. The cynic in me has decided to rear its unnecessary, questioning and judgemental head this morning but can you blame me? When one wakes up, turns on the radio, steps out of the door and walks down the road, it appears that everything is vying for attention to sell something or other. Buy, buy, buy, are the messages that I am receiving. I apologise again dear poet for placing you into that same ugly bracket. What is this world coming to if even an artist and their art is being seen and judged on the same level as the hideous mainstream vulgarity-scale as commercialism? I hang my head in shame. Good job I am able to see the error of my ways in good time when it comes to this. Alas, many don’t. (many stories for many other times) The point is though, we need art in our lives. All of us.
Anyway, back to the poem.
“Body heat and gravity”
Is a very intriguing second line in the poem. It’s mysterious. What could it be that body heat and the gravitational force of planet earth are working in tandem to help out the poet? What is it that’s about to be shared? What has the poet discovered?
I’m eager to find out.
Could it be something that aids humanity as a whole, not just the poet? A perplexing environmental issue that could be easily solved perhaps? A magical wonder of some kind? Should David Attenborough be on standby for this moment?
“To straighten things out when its destiny is to be crumpled”
Oooer, yet more mystery. What or who’s destiny is to be crumpled? Or even crinkled, wrinkled, puckered, creased or crushed? At this stage is it too early for the poem to be viewed as a broad metaphor?
Oooer and oooh, I read on!
Then I get the answer
The big reveal comes with the very last word of the poem, and that is the “Ironing” I laugh out loud heartily upon reading this!
A household chore! Eh? The poet has revealed that they no longer wish to do any more of it ever again. As they view it as a waste of time!
What a surprising thing to write about? I’m stunned as I was expecting to discover something mega and life transforming. But, hold on, after having bit of a ponder, I can see it as something that is indeed life transforming. Gravity is the poet’s friend as it’s the force that is pulling on the clothes as they are hanging to dry. Time is precious and so are the acts that one does within it. The ironing is not like any other household chore like putting out the bins and doing the vacuuming. Washing clothes, (well the machine can take care of that) Those things are a necessity for good health, cleanliness and well-being of course, yes. When it comes down to the ironing though… hmm. I suppose it’s what one has become accustomed to and what one has seen in life. I have known of women, and a few men who have ironed, yes. It’s all about context and what is needed for income and the household. I find the poem very amusing because I can relate to it. It can be seen as a waste of time. I can do it, yes, I can iron, whoopdie doo me! but upon reading this poem will I, like the poet, choose to never do it again? Time will tell but I can assure you that if my clothes are a bit crumpled in appearance it’s because I have been wearing them! By not doing the ironing it saves time and cuts down on electricity bills. This last sentence that I have written doesn’t sound as attractive as how the poet has put their message across but I’m pretty sure the ‘fashion police’ do not need to be called for this minor misdemeanour. I don’t think people are that bad. However, I have seen some shocking ‘fashion’ activity on the street. The wearing of slippers! Shocking! Shorts in the winter? And also, not everyone can ‘carry off’ the socks and sandals aesthetic.
But to be fair, I have only seen a few that mooch around town that look like an unmade bed. With any fashion choice, you have to be true to who you are and not be a sheep.
As the late fashion designer, Gianni Versace once said,”Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.”
Oh yes I say to that!