"This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." - Dorothy Parker

The Little Can

Then bombarded by negativity

From the mouth of my fellow man-
I resort to my imagination
And under his chin-
I place a Little Can.

I hang it from both his ears
With great big chains of steel-
Strong enough to hold those words
And the Little Can perfectly still.

While he speaks,
I make sure the words
Are falling in the Little Can-
Then in my mind,
I light a match-
And flick-
It’s in
At my command.

I cheer as the flames consume those words
That could have hurt both him and me.
When he’s finished,
I remove my gear-
And return to reality.

 

Anne Roberts