Nothing

I open my notebook and stare at the page;
Its blankness looks back at me, taunting.
I don’t have a topic or thought to engage,
So writing a poem seems quite daunting.

I think of my day and whatever’s occurred,
Yet nothing has snagged my attention.
To write about nothing sounds rather absurd,
Though “Seinfeld” right here needs a mention.

A show about “nothing” is how it was billed,
But of course it was anything but.
With trivial banter its characters filled
Every episode making the cut.

And so, in that spirit, I’ve written these lines – 
A springboard from empty to full;
For sometimes oblivion gives us designs
And we yield to gratuity’s pull.

The cosmos, from nothingness, came to exist
And likewise, the words that I write.
Comparisons naturally should be dismissed
But both needed a spark to ignite.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012

Poem

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Brown Avatar
September 10, 2012 at 1:29 PM
Congratulations on your well deserved win in the contest of Joyce "My Favorite" Ilene. Love, Carol
Sweetheart Avatar
September 10, 2012 at 5:23 AM
congrats Ilene on another wonderful win for this marvelous write luv ..
Ramage Avatar
September 8, 2012 at 10:09 PM
Ilene, I am so enjoying your work. I think I will sit down one evening and read more of your work. This is just great, I like your style. Lee
Merryman Avatar
September 8, 2012 at 8:02 PM
Ilene, congrats on your wonderful win! I think I may need to write about nothing since my mind is a blank right now. Great write! Love, Kim
Tams The Golden Girl Avatar
September 8, 2012 at 4:02 AM
Congratulations Ilene, a well deserved win xx
Poet Avatar
September 8, 2012 at 12:14 AM
An Excellent poem here ilene! Congrats on your win.
A   Avatar
September 7, 2012 at 8:14 PM
Ilene, congratulations, in Joyce's favorite contest... good night~ PD
Johnson Avatar
September 7, 2012 at 3:45 PM
It was a surprise for me that this is your poem. I read them all aloud to myself and this one read so very easily. Congratulations. Love, Joyce
Dietrich Avatar
July 8, 2012 at 7:08 PM
I love this practice of yours in writing nothingness. I LOVE it particularly since you made mention of one of the best sitcoms EVER. (I'm torn between that one and All in the Family!) Modern Family, Roseann, Malcom in the middle, Third Rock from the Sun, the list goes on. So many good ones. Anyway, an excellent poem, your nothing is!
Bickerstaffe Avatar
July 7, 2012 at 6:33 PM
Well, you certainly made SOMETHING out of nothing! You know how much I enjoy your poetry... it's hard for me to come up with a review that you haven't already heard! but, here goes. '...with trivial banter its characters filled every episode,' super enjambment. '...we yield to gratuity's pull,' how great is THAT phrase! Other than that, I'm speechless!!! Love, Keith :)
Ludden Avatar
July 7, 2012 at 5:53 PM
Hey, good one! I think of the number of times that I have sat trying to think of something to write about. Usually, I found that the really good ones come unbidden---so most of the time, I wait for those. In this case, however, you found something to say, and said it well. On another aspect, I, personally, now feel that here was always something, here in the cosmos, and the spark (or big bang) was just another event, What the something was, is just to speculate about. Thanks for the charming introduction to your site....I'll be back (or Offenbach, perhaps) -mea culpa, Dean
Merryman Avatar
July 7, 2012 at 4:43 PM
This is cute, Ilene. Hope you get some inspiration soon. Nothing's worse than wanting to write but your mind has gone blank. Love, Kim
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