Not Too Much - Ladd Holroyd

[Larry Robinson]

Not Too Much


Standing in the grocery isle,
I debate how large a bottle of aspirin to buy
And choose the larger one.
Then realize there are probably more pills there
Than my cat will need before she dies.

This is how pedestrian we can become
When measuring out death.

I did not look for a bargain,
I barely remember leaving the store.
For every moment we calculate the extent of our love,
There is another voice that tells us "not too much".

Not too much. 
How much time do we have left together?
Not too much.
How much can I do for my little love?
Not too much.
How much did I fail her?
Not too much.
Could I improve her last days?
Not too much.

Not too much. The tea leaves
At the bottom of the cup,
Inscrutable.
Always the message
That what's vital remains
Someplace entirely beyond us.

	- Ladd Holroyd

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sonic.net/pipermail/poetrylovers/attachments/20210712/85d7bccd/attachment.htm>