Not
Not visit houses just before noon
Not to slam the door when you leave
Not to wear out your welcome
Not to reveal how you really feel
Not to be the one to leave
Not to a give a damn
Not to bear false witness
Not to let the truth stand in the way
Not to be the guilty party
Not to wear you heart on your sleeve
Not to eat fish only any day but Friday
Not to take your name as witness
Not to give a fuck you too
Not to wear the same underwear two days in a row
Not to wear clothes when you slam the door behind you
Not to let on how you really feel just leave
Not to came back apologetic
Not to fish for more than there is to catch
Not to ignore that there is always a catch
Not to damn the bare body
Not to be the last one to know
Not skip lunch
Not to be afraid of knowing
Not Not Not Not
The rule that prompted this one is the actual first line – it was intended to avoid having whomever the monk visited offer them lunch. Word association kicked it off – over staying your welcome came to mind quickly. Without a second thought it became a list poem of variations on what not to do.
Some of the nots combine nots that have come before. Some are almost aphorisms ‘not to fish for more than there is to catch’ which is also a play on ‘fishing for a compliment’ also springs from ‘eating fish on Friday’ which is a Catholic commandment – the miracle of the bread & fish takes some of this into a very biblical subtext.
Canadians have a reputation for politeness – I will not say what’s on my mind lest I offend someone. Though I suspects more a case of – I will not say what’s on my mind lest I get too much attention 🙂 As a result some of this not list are admonitions to placate – they struggle to find the balance between being firm and being aggressive. If you are like me there comes a point when you don’t care. If you think I’m a prick, such is life.
The best list poems, to me, start to hint at a story. This one is about lovers not getting along, or are they playing out a familiar structure of push-pull, argue-make up, control-resistance. It almost reads like a magazine list of ‘do’s & don’t’s’ to make a relationship work. I don’t think I’ve ever slammed a door, that wasn’t asking for it 🙂
TOpoet 