Fancy Pants Poetry Read online

  Fancy Pants Poetry by Agostino Scafidi

  © 2014

  ISBN 978-0-9936659-3-6

  Cover design by Samantha Scafidi

  Other eBooks By The Author

  Dreams, Fiction and Me

  The Invisible Papers

  The Anchor That Stopped The World

  Table Of Contents (use your device's search function)

  Wading Through Mud A Mind Of Its Own

  Night Times Master Of The Abyss

  Passing Time Neither Here Nor There

  Roger, Yankee, Foxtrot Hindsight

  Secrets Fumbling Dialogue

  A Gnawing Under Advisement

  Risking Scraping The Bottom Falling Upon Deaf Ears

  Time To Show My Face Again Hobbies

  What's The Hurry? Survival And Looks

  Why Anger? Dancing The Line

  Looking Around, Listening Wait For The Evening Train

  Unexpected Drive Away Fast

  Forget Potential

  Wicked Mistress A Place To Go

  Just When Things Can't Get Any Worse The Way The World Works (The Real World)

  Do It What You Have

  Impossible To Repay Death Or Rebirth?

  Regularly Scheduled Program Oases

  Let's Be Irrational It's That Time Again

  How Much More? Unpredictable

  How Far? The Best Things In Life

  Things Only Look Good To Me When Push Comes To Shove

  Dark North

  Wading Through Mud

  Convincing someone to give up what they cling to the most,

  Is it an achievement or a failure?

  How heartless does one need to be in order to succeed?

  I for one, hope.

  Hope and pray for whatever it is that will save me.

  Deliver me from all that is mundane.

  Night Times

  Sitting in the passenger seat on a drive somewhere in the north end of town.

  It's night, dark, serene.

  All that stands out are street lamps and the distant rippling of a river.

  Sure, Sherbrooke street might be more romantic, it certainly has reach.

  One end of the city to the other.

  Passing Time

  Watching it all go by.

  Sometimes I laugh,

  Other times I'm bored beyond belief.

  Nothing seems like it's really mine,

  But that's okay because I prefer to travel light.

  I don't literally travel much though,

  I tend to stay local and it pleases me that way.

  Roger, Yankee, Foxtrot

  Roger that!

  You've got all the pain in the world in your pocket,

  And all that weight,

  The burden you shoulder,

  Is meant to spare all the rest of us.

  Roger dodger!

  You've saved us all and now we can go forth and bask in the light of the world.

  Secrets

  I like secrets,

  Don't you?

  There are those we keep for others,

  And those we keep to ourselves.

  Sometimes some people like having power over others.

  Other times others enjoy being another's protector.

  What's rarest of all,

  Is a lack of recompense demanded.

  Sometimes all people really want is to be the stepper and you the stone.

  A Gnawing

  Like an addict being eaten alive from the inside,

  A tug of war,

  It can occur even if substances aren't at play.

  Maybe there are natural chemical reactions happening independent of your best efforts.

  Spilling everything from bottom to top and vice versa,

  All over the floor,

  To be viewed by you or all.

  The pure and true honesty that light provides.

  It helps.

  Risking Scraping The Bottom

  Is this what happens when the desire and urge is present but a plan of action is nowhere to be found?

  Can faith deliver you all the way?

  Wading around the open expanse of nothingness,

  The air,

  The sky.

  Can I find something that isn't there?

  Time To Show My Face Again

  Wicked audience,

  Extreme expectations.

  Intolerance towards anything subtle.

  Profane silence,

  Disgusting space.

  Abhorrent special circumstances.

  Expectant gazes,

  Frustration over swimming countercurrent.

  It seems like force is the way to go.

  Break down all that wouldn't withstand a nuclear detonation.

  What you're left with is success,

  Absolutely nothing.

  It's nice to look the part,

  To play along,

  You're a good citizen now.

  A fine job you'll do.

  What's The Hurry?

  How to live,

  Please instruct me because I don't know.

  Give me a plan of action,

  I'll use you as a template.

  I'll owe you my life,

  The biggest piece of the pie.

  Your knowledge is vast and approved by committee.

  That's the most important thing,

  Right?

  Coming to terms with it on your own would be far too risky.

  Why Anger?

  I'm not one to walk away from a fight.

  Throw dirt in my face and expect me to simply brush it off?

  Expect a surprise coming your way.

  Ignoring isn't so effective,

  Your insults are not suited to be the last word.

  Not used to being called upon?

  I can understand why your bark is often heeded,

  But it seems more like a daring cry to me.

  Are you fearful of those who could hear?

  Looking Around, Listening

  Something's going to happen,

  It inevitably does.

  I'm just looking around and waiting,

  Listening.

  Patience,

  It seems like nothingness is incredibly heavy,

  Until the world looks back at you and your sense of time returns.

  Time has passed,

  The world has spun.

  All you remember are your thoughts.

  You didn't really go anywhere at all.

  Unexpected

  Sounds,

  Like in the dead of night,

  When you really should be asleep.

  Let's see what we have here,

  Trembling footsteps,

  Shadows.

  Will this be the last night,

  To live,

  To feel comfort?

  Smash!

  Grab,

  Tussle and fumble.

  Deep breaths now,

  Silence,

  Deafening.

  Eerie peace.

  Forget

  Sometimes the tide can be the bearer of gifts.

  They may be dead on arrival as well.

  No matter the condition,

  A lesson of wisdom can be learned,

  Something to help you make amends,

  Or at least try.

  Sometimes a sorry is all you can say.

  The time has passed.

  Wicked Mistress

  Here I am once again,

  The invisible pressure is not so invisible anymore.

  The things we do that aren't so painful,

  But seem like they would be.

  It's a rarity,

  That our preconceptions become true.

  Sometime
s they do,

  The choice whether to comply or rebel isn't unnecessary.

  Do all things that hunger eventually come to be full?

  Just When Things Can't Get Any Worse

  Wading through the dark forest's mud puddles,

  At least I'm not bored.

  I get bored even when I'm having fun.

  A little boredom can be comforting,

  Even if it can drive you to tears.

  Analogies and metaphors and the undying pestering of the second hands.

  When minute hands seem like hour hands.

  When hours seem like little days within miniature months.

  Do It

  Timing,

  Restitution,

  How much has to be done in order to placate the feelings of inadequacy?

  When is enough enough,

  And when can I go out and play?

  Why do some of our choices,

  Seemingly made for the greater good,

  Tend to feel as if they are chains?

  Sacrifice is liberating.

  Impossible To Repay

  Mob rules,

  Collective ignorance,

  Objectification.

  Sometimes questions can't possibly suffice.

  Answers beget more questions too.

  Answers beget speechlessness.

  Remorse and justice is little more than symbolic closure and peace of mind,

  At certain times.

  Only when circumstances are extremely grave does retribution seem grey.

  Regularly Scheduled Program

  It's fun,

  It'll be fun,

  Don't worry.

  I know it looks grim,

  I know it seems dismal,

  The outlook is not bright,

  It'll be fun though,

  Believe me.

  Trust is imperative,

  Try to ignore past examples and power through.

  Who knows?

  You may be surprised this time.

  Anything is possible.

  Let's Be Irrational

  Honesty,

  Certainly a punishable offence.

  No matter what anyone says about how admirable honesty can be,

  Don't risk it.

  There'll always be repercussions,

  Honesty is hated,

  You'll only bear the brunt of the derision.

  Heed these warnings at your own peril.

  You might be strong enough for this crusade,

  Just be sure before you ship out,

  Some people won't ever forget their face to face with truth.

  How Much More?

  Inevitability,

  All of my nagging feelings are no greater than one grain of sand.

  The crux of it all.

  Wicked pointlessness.

  Rearranging,

  Toughing it out,

  Sneaky and discrete,

  Temporary chaos!

  Sometimes the most temporary can seem like the lengthiest eternity.

  Even with all lessons learned,

  The same fears seem ever fresh,

  Open wounds that never heal.

  How Far?

  Wondering,

  How else can you explain it?

  Thanks for all the awkward moments,

  We'll never live them again.

  Throwing ashes in the wind,

  I guess I'll do the remembering for the both of us.

  Things Only Look Good To Me

  Breaths taken in apprehension,

  The wait is finally over and the time has come to put it to the test.

  Good reasons can only comfort so much,

  Conversely,

  Without a strong foundation nothing will last.

  Certain things need to last.

  Even imperatives can be pushed aside with the weakest of reasons.

  Dark North

  So long,

  Thanks,

  I'll be taking a trip.

  I won't be accompanied,

  But I'm going with everyone.

  Tiny notes falling from,

  The musical sky,

  The percussive clouds,

  Raindrops have never been more soothing.

  Blues,

  Grays,

  Sombre beauty.

  More welcoming than sunshine.

  A Mind Of Its Own

  I've got a habit,

  It's better than yours,

  My habit even has a mind of its own,

  So I get to relax and let it run its course.

  My habit is unhealthy,

  Yours might be too,

  We put ourselves through all sorts of stuff,

  Just for a brief respite of fun.

  Do you hear your habit calling?

  I hear mine shouting out loud,

  Time to go.

  Master Of The Abyss

  There,

  Here,

  When the red fades away,

  The black melts from view.

  Misplaced passion,

  Fearful steps,

  Walking on eggshells,

  Personal transformation stunted from fear of being alone.

  That's a big one for a lot of people,

  Comfort from the barren echoing one might be hearing.

  A common affliction I hear,

  A fountain of creativity amidst snakes,

  Demons and darkness.

  Neither Here Nor There

  Wicked dreams,

  Lovely nightmares,

  Tired days,

  Energetic nights.

  The heart calls out after sending everyone away,

  Rejecting all that looks the same.

  Only the most remarkable may pass,

  But even then,

  A rigorous screening process must be observed.

  Worthiness is dependent upon shock value most of the time.

  Hindsight

  Not enough information,

  A purely abhorrent waste of good time.

  Even if tidbits of usefulness were provided,

  The lingering feeling of "not good enough" lives on.

  Now all that's left to do is wait,

  An uncomfortable wait,

  Uncertainty floats up.

  Thanks for nothing,

  You haven't succeeded,

  Trying to inject more worry and woe,

  Just so you know.

  Fumbling Dialogue

  Listening without interaction,

  Better not to get involved,

  Sometimes this same approach is deeply involving,

  With those who strain to be heard.

  Denial as a language,

  Opposition reveals more,

  This isn't a rule of thumb,

  One possible way.

  A delicate dance,

  Easily broken,

  It takes experience and a keen intuition,

  Save the worthwhile remnants.

  Under Advisement

  Certain,

  Sure,

  Unwavering,

  The only way.

  There's no room for your ideas,

  Preferences,

  They're all wrong,

  Only "my" way.

  Either you comply or you will fail,

  The choice is yours,

  "It doesn't work that way",

  All knowing?

  Let's take a survey,

  Why don't we?

  Falling Upon Deaf Ears

  Words in the wind,

  They sway,

  Some may land upon ears,

  Others disappear.

  The only one who knows all,

  Is the sender.

  There's always the hope that those which don't land,

  Are eventually found,

  They never die,

  After all.

  Have you heard?

  Hobbies

  Gangsters,

  Bullies,

  Ones with an eye for weakness,


  Are they contributory?

  Necessary,

  Valuable,

  Indispensable,

  Do they give do-gooders a job?

  Would those same flag flyers cross over if they were without purpose?

  People need to keep busy,

  Don't they?

  Survival And Looks

  Tightening my belt,

  It calls for it but never feels quite right at first.