Should you find yourself typically on the end giving and not receiving, as a friend, a spouse, a lover, family member or co-worker, you understand more than most about the unspoken reality of The Exchange.
To hear an AudioBoo reading of this poem by the writer, go to http://audioboo.fm/boos/1466419-the-exchange.
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THE EXCHANGE
By Chris Kuhn
Two broken urns,
They form a mess,
Fill all the voids
And ignore the rest.
When will I learn?
Never, I guess.
Always the host,
Rarely the guest.
I bend, you take.
I offer, you take.
I give, you take.
A trend we make.
Am I just stuck?
Will you give none?
Have you not tired
Or is this fun?
When is enough
And why do I wait?
Do I really think
We’ll set this straight?
The silence rips.
I tear once more,
Deeper this time
And twice as sore.
Exchange is set
Uneven, unfair,
Never a chance,
Never a prayer.
So I sit and wait
Expect not a thing.
And guess what I get?
Fucking nothing.
I hope it’s not your own experience…but it’s food for thought! Very deep,hon.
Thanks for the comment, Angel. I wrote this poem with a few different scenarios in mind, some that have impacted me personally and others that I simply imagined and put myself in someone else’s shoes. Everything I write has a little piece of me in it but none of it represents all of me, no. Thank you for thinking of me. 🙂 ~chris
Heartfelt words Hun xo
Thank you. 🙂 And sometimes we don’t notice these things until we can step further away to get a better view. ~ ck
Wonderful verse, Chris! The meter is right on, the message(s) fresh yet universal!