Introspection On Toast

Poet's Notes
(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like Isaiah Zerbst.


There once was a picture that wormed itself into my reverie
On a gray, cloudy morning, whilst it was raining and cold.
In this one picture were four slices of toast and five beverages.
Three glasses held tea the color of honey, and two were raspberry tinted.
Somehow it was important to me that the toast was suspended
In the air above the table by two glasses, like bookends.
For a moment I wondered who had achieved this strange feat, and why;
But then my thoughts turned to how my life was like that toast,
Suspended in air by forces counteracting gravity,
And any moment a passerby might jar the table, destroying the illusion
Of serenity and stability. I've seen people's lives change as quickly.
For the most part, everything seems to go well for them,
Then there is a turning point, after which nothing seems to be right.
Anything can trigger it; the loss of a child or job,
A spouse, or the home in which they have always lived.
Moreover, there is no reasoning to whom it happens;
Just like a careless passerby might bump a table,
And four slices of toast fall to the table, or the ground.

(Poem is written in Prose form)

Copyright © | Year Posted 2015



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 8/18/2017 11:22:00 PM
Congrats! I love your prose. Not many can write one about the seemingly mundane as something philosophical and relatable.
Login to Reply
Date: 8/18/2017 12:44:00 PM
i felt a little sad reading that; a bit of hopelessness too. and that last part about the toast falling? made me reflect on my own life. well written! cheers!
Login to Reply
Date: 5/17/2015 4:54:00 PM
There is much wisdom in this write. You have seen the message in the picture which is not so obvious to others, this reader included. An inspiring morning read for me. Pleased to learn it won in a contest too. Congratulations, Isaiah. Kim :-)
Login to Reply
Date: 5/15/2015 12:17:00 PM
You tackled this photo, and turned it into such great inspiration !! Well done, Isaiah.....and I am so honored that you placed my poem in your Memories of the Sea contest, so high ! Thank you very much...it is a joy to see my name on your winners list ! Thanks again!!
Login to Reply
Date: 5/8/2015 6:14:00 PM
Isaiah, beautifully penned poem for the contest, 7, and congratulations and I want to thank you so much for my wonderful placement in your, on the first of may contest, I am honoured
Login to Reply
Date: 5/7/2015 11:24:00 AM
Congratulations on your win a 7
Login to Reply
Date: 5/6/2015 6:03:00 PM
Congrats on your winning work!!Sara
Login to Reply
Date: 5/6/2015 9:55:00 AM
Isaiah, :-) Congratulations with your wonderful win in Giorgio's "Ekphrasis" poetry contest. Forever *SKAT*
Login to Reply
Date: 5/5/2015 8:08:00 PM
Good job, Isaiah. This shows depth and understanding. I feel like I am pulled into your understanding. There is no judgement. This is just the way it is. I do think I agree with Reason about the word "said" on the third line. Thanks for writing this. It was particularly meaningful to me on this particular day.
Login to Reply
Date: 5/5/2015 6:12:00 PM
Very nice, Isaiah! Liked your interpretation. Congratulations on your win! Sandra
Login to Reply
Date: 5/5/2015 5:31:00 PM
YOu got quite the write out of his challenge, Isaiah. VERy nicely done in the prose form. Congratulations to you.
Login to Reply
Date: 5/5/2015 2:56:00 PM
Isaiah, Congratulations on your awesome win. Love LINDA
Login to Reply
Date: 5/5/2015 1:12:00 PM
Enjoyed reading your toast suspended work..Warm toast and jam or jelly is great isn't it..Thanks for the encouraging review of my work..Sara
Login to Reply
Date: 5/1/2015 3:26:00 PM
Well, I had to favorite this one; this seems to have not only, been my year so far, but that of many whom I know, as well. As they say, "the roll of the dice"; we all get snake eyes, at some point.
Login to Reply
Date: 4/26/2015 4:29:00 AM
Excellent ekphrasis, Isaiah. The placement of the toast without visible support (except for the glasses) was a curious feature of the photo. I like the numerical accounting. Might you change "said" in the third line to "one" to include that in your sequence or make reference to the one table underneath? Picky, picky me. Great analogy to one's life.
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Hide Ad