I used to say I wanted to see the world.
“One day,” I said, “I’ll leave this old house
And set foot on every continent.”
That’s what I said,
Back when I had a voice.
I kept saying I wanted to see the world.
But, all I did was sit in this old house
And watch travel programs.
That’s what I watched,
Back when I had eyes.
Sharon left because she wanted to see the world.
She was tired of waiting for me to leave this old house.
She left me to go and set foot on every continent.
I said that’s what I wanted,
Back when I had feet.
I told them Sharon had left to see the world.
That she no longer lived in this old house.
The men with guns, like I’d seen on police programs.
I held up my hands,
Back when I had hands.
The people who live here now travel the world.
They’re away so long, they never see this old house.
Too busy setting foot on every continent.
Just like I used to say,
Back when I had a voice.
Back when I had a choice.
Now I guess I’ll stay in this old house…
Watching the programs…
Just like I did before.
I used to say I wanted to see the world.
I started writing in high school because I saw Shakespeare In Love and thought being a writer would help me get girls. It didn’t, of course, but by the time I’d worked that out, I found I wasn’t actually any good at anything else, so I just kept it up. Since then I have written plays, novels, short stories, poems, kids’ books, and angry Facebook rants. I currently live and (when I have to) work in Louisville, Kentucky, but I consider Disneyland to be my hometown.
Published 2/14/20