I

wish

–

–

I

was

–

–

more

.

l

i

k

e

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

–

I

was

–

–

more

.

l

i

k

e

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

laughing

.

i

t

.

all

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

away

–

–

all

.

o

f

.

the

accumulating

–

–

payments

due . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

away

–

–

all

.

o

f

.

the

rumored

news

.

a

n

d

.

the

burdens

.

o

f

.

proof . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

away

–

–

the

gathering

gloom

.

i

n

.

the

middle

.

o

f

.

a

lonesome

room . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

away

–

–

all

.

o

f

.

the

phony

truths,

–

–

designed

.

t

o

.

pursue,

.

a

n

d

.

bruise,

.

a

n

d

.

ruin . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

.

i

t

.

all

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

.

i

t

.

all

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Laughing

.

i

t

.

all

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

with

glamor,

–

–

–

.

.

.

with

grit,

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

with

grace . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

day,

–

–

after

night,

–

–

after

day . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

gray,

–

–

after

blue,

–

–

after

gray . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

–

I

was

–

–

more

.

l

i

k

e

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

–

I

was

–

–

more

.

l

i

k

e

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

–

I

was

–

–

more

.

l

i

k

e

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

right

here

.

i

n

.

the

shadows

.

o

f

.

this

room . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ right

here

.

i

n

.

the

shadows

.

o

f

.

this

room . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

where

.

t

h

e

.

whiskey

seethes

.

i

n

.

jealousy . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

The

whiskey

seethes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

The

whiskey

seethes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

The

whiskey

seethes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

jealousy . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

swings,

.

a

n

d

.

pounds,

.

a

n

d

.

beats . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

swings,

.

a

n

d

.

pounds,

.

a

n

d

.

beats . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

swings,

.

a

n

d

.

pounds,

.

a

n

d

.

beats . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

every

part

.

a

n

d

.

piece . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ every

part

.

a

n

d

.

piece

.

o

f

.

memory . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

the

belief

.

i

n

.

beauty . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ the

belief

.

i

n

.

a

.

beauty

–

–

which

bleeds.

Reflection: This was a popular reflective-themed poem that I wrote back in October of 2022 in which the contemplator expresses appreciation of someone who has the strength, resilience, and positivity to gracefully navigate the stresses, strifes, and ups and downs of life.

I love the live, acoustic version of the Joni Mitchell song “People’s Parties” and the line “Laughing it all away” really hit home so I used that and expanded on it. I also love the live, acoustic version of the Phil Ochs song “Pleasures of the Harbor” and loved the line “The whiskey’s loud” and changed that to “the whiskey seethes in jealousy” and expanded on that. I wasn’t really expecting both sections to fit together very well in a single poem but they did. I wrote this poem off and on over a couple of days or so. It only took about a couple of hours to complete in total. I used both songs alternatively playing in the background at low volume to create the “moodset” for this poem. If you listen these songs at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.