I have posted so many heavy poems lately. As a former, longtime hospice nurse who’s had her own near-death experience, it seems so natural to me to focus on death and dying. Both of my novels are serious and deal with themes of loss (and hope and redemption). But, believe it or not, I love to laugh. So today for the rally I decided to post a bit of humor…maybe not the best poetry, but hopefully you’ll enjoy. And to those of you who suffer from ear worms, read on. I think you’ll understand.
Ear Worms
The diagnosis sounds atrocious.
It hinges on repetition.
Songs that jingle in your head
make you wish that you were dead.
What’s the cause of this disease?
No one knows for certain.
Since the tunes don’t always please
they can leave you hurting.
You just confessed you do obsess
on this catchy melody:
“‘F-R-E-E, that spells free,’
rattles round inside of me.”
Just yesterday it went away,
I didn’t think of it at all
until that damn ad played again.
Don’t you know, it will not end?
“Cognitive itch”—that a son of a bitch,
could it be God’s call?
The message you were meant to get:
“It’s a Small World After All.”
They say that ear worms can’t be fought.
That only makes you angrier.
The more you scratch the more you itch
and bury it in your memory.
There’s not much that you can do
to stop these “aneurhythms.”
Try to sing the whole damn song,
loud and clear, to pass it on.
When the “hum-bug” gets to you
try to find distraction.
until another one pops in.
Then it all begins again.
“Maim That Tune” you may recall,
means you’re normal after all.
2zpoint
/ October 2, 2010Hee!Hee! Thats the kind of thing that drives me nuts! music I just can’t stop in my HEAD!LOL! good points!
liv2write2day
/ October 2, 2010That’s why you have a sense of rhythm in writing poetry!
deadpoet88
/ September 27, 2010This is a really fun read! Good one!
liv2write2day
/ September 27, 2010Glad you enjoyed it.
Reetam Majumder
/ September 27, 2010haha. the only way to get a tune out of your head is get another (equally annoying) one to supplant it. lovely poem.
liv2write2day
/ September 27, 2010Yep. Transferring obsessions anonymous could be a good 12 step program.
childofagodunseen
/ September 27, 2010Haha, I loved the flow, it’s catchy… the irony.
liv2write2day
/ September 27, 2010Thank you my friend. And there’s no vaccination.
River
/ September 27, 2010LOL! Thanks for the giggle.
liv2write2day
/ September 27, 2010You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Jamie Dedes
/ September 26, 2010That is cute … I like it a lot and could use the smile. Just spent the day in ER with an elderly friend. All is well and she’s fine, but it was a scare and a long day. Needed something like this. Thanks!
-D
/ September 25, 2010last song syndrome. the more you hate the tune, the more you remember it.
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010Isn’t that the truth?
Angela Cohan
/ September 25, 2010Fabulous work–I loved reading it–great use of language.
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010Thanks, Angela.
dhitzunako
/ September 25, 2010I’m really impressed by your informative yet casual style of writing here. Nice d^.^b
Btw, I just found out that those symptoms that you describe is called “earworm” (hehehe, shame on me). So, thanks for sharing this.
Happy rally!
Jingle
/ September 25, 2010return favors to those who are here, yet you did not originally reach is another manner,
thanks for the support.
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010That’s my goal!
marisol4you
/ September 25, 2010Very entertaining and fluent… “Cognitive itch”—that a son of a bitch – lmao. Thanks for posting this!
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010Thank
you
for visiting.
PinkLady
/ September 25, 2010this is amusing, victoria! although your poem depicted ear worms in a funny way, they are in reality quite annoying. i love your style!
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010Beyond annoying! Thanks for the comments.
Cerridwyn Tiponi
/ September 24, 2010Cute! I just hate when an ear worm invades my mind…I usually have one of these stupid songs rattling around for days!
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Thanks for visiting my blog–I enjoyed discovering yours.
frayedges
/ September 24, 2010Funny! Those ear worms are so darn pesky!
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Teehee. Join the club.
SenderUpWords
/ September 24, 2010This is just wonderful. I am yet to discover how to be funny in poetry. I think maybe one or two. But this is a perfect example of what I would like to write.Though there is ear worms I read this as fun. Love and Light, Sender
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Humor isn’t my strong point in poetry either, but every once in a while….
Leo (Leonnyes)
/ September 24, 2010a fun post.. humorous and witty.. we all seem to get obsessed with a tune once a way
Rally Week 29, My Poem
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010Advertisers make sure we do…it’s part of their subliminal strategy, I guess.
dancingfreak
/ September 24, 2010wow!!! heavy actually
is there something called ear worms??
a bit humor… yes there was a touch
liv2write2day
/ September 25, 2010Believe it or not, if you do an Internet search on earworms, you will discover a number of clinical articles on the subject. They are a manifiestation of an obsessive-complusive tendency and some say that they occur in conjunction with worrying. One of the recommended treatments is to sing the song all the way through! I suppose most of us do have a touch of OCD!
Chris G.
/ September 24, 2010A flood of creativity–quite a clever piece! It’s both entertaining and well written. Good job!
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Thanks so much, Chris.
Someone Is Special
/ September 24, 2010Eat Worms? Funny stuff.. thoroughly enjoy the LOL… Do stop by Lots of Laughter, you are precious writer for it..
Rhyming Waters
–Someone Is Special–
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010I will stop by Lots of Laughter! We need that in our lives, for sure.
Kiera
/ September 24, 2010“Cognitive itch”– I love the phrasing there, I definitely understand this one!
Great poem
x
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Makes you crazy, doesn’t it?
Morganna
/ September 24, 2010So funny — had me laughing! And so true! Dang ear worms!
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010I’m glad you understand! LOL
Teresa
/ September 24, 2010This is absolutely fun! I hated it when my son spent an entire summer humming and singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
Thanks for visiting mine here. http://razzamadazzle.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/watching/
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010They can drive you crazy, for sure.
Lu Ann
/ September 24, 2010It is a small world after all…
Very true!
Very nice. I really liked it thou its not a very common topic
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Thanks for stopping by, Lu Ann
Nessa
/ September 24, 2010This was fun but ear worms burrow in and make you nuts.
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Or maybe we’re already nuts if we are prone to ear worms…and poetry!
Kristen Haskell
/ September 23, 2010I love this and I think it is very clever. I hope to enjoy reading more of your blog.
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Thank you, Kristen. Have a good weekend coming up.
sillyfrogsusan
/ September 23, 2010Wonderfully fun…thanks and nice to meet you!
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010Nice to meet you, too. I enjoyed your blog and look forward to more.
Bodhirose
/ September 23, 2010I loved this–so creative! Who can’t relate to getting a tune stuck in their brains going round and round…and round and round–SCREAM!!
liv2write2day
/ September 24, 2010I wonder if we, as poets, aren’t more prone to this syndrome. Maybe I’ll do some research. :0)
Jingle
/ September 23, 2010Thanks for the support.
love your active role and have fun all the way!
Jingle
/ September 23, 2010“Cognitive itch”—that a son of a bitch,
could it be God’s call?
lovely pitch on the work…
well put.