Postmodern Parable
They rented the tiny house for several reasons:
one, the chandelier aloft in the halfway living
halfway dining room (one of those Victorian
things draped in crystalline tears). Two,
it was very cheap.
When they moved in, both chuckled at it all:
this new shared space and all its emptiness to fill.
The chandelier itself, brass and thirty candlelight bulbs,
ended up wasted.
By the time the separation had begun,
only six were still lit, bouncing shadows around
the room, empty and cold as a cave.
7 thoughts on "Postmodern Parable"
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A tiny house, Victorian reference, and a chandelier–such good material for you. the end so startled, made me think. Do I waste chandeliers . . . ?
There’s a sadness in this room that was supposed to be filled with memories and “things.” The neglected chandelier is a great metaphor for the relationship. Good job.
Shaun – I love the idea of buying a house for the chandelier! I like the use of “wasted,” unexpected. Nice turn to shades of Plato’s cave.
Shaun, I love the title, the killer final image and everything in between.
There is not much I can add to the comments here, but it is a killer poem…
Underrated line I noticed on second reading “Two,//it was very cheap.”
Very well done.
I like the image of a relationship decaying while the lights go out. Very nice.