TV Show

Do other people feel like me,
after they have spent their days inside a house?
To leave the space heater,
the opened oven door or quiet central heating,
we flip a switch
and color TV colors our quiet lives.

If we live inside a city
where the TV show is filmed,
we see Shinjuku in Tokyo,
L.A.'s city hall,
Chicago's elevated line
and we say
"Oh! We live there."

Then, when we scurry to the Post Office
or to buy a pint of milk,
we see our own skyline
our own neighborhood,
and feel like we are on our own wide screen.

There! I saw that child last night - or was it yesterday?
That pretty girl - there! In the short fur jacket,
wasn't she the bar maid in Wednesday's quick cop raid?

Do other people who live alone feel just like this?
Spacing our emotions between commercials
for cat food and shiny cars?
Falling in love,
ten times a day with a handsome hero,
or a strong one,
or a mean one,
but one we cannot reach to touch.
TV Show

Do other people feel like me,
after they have spent their days inside a house?
To leave the space heater,
the opened oven door or quiet central heating,
we flip a switch
and color TV colors our quiet lives.
If we live inside a city
where the TV show is filmed,
we see Shinjuku in Tokyo,
L.A.'s city hall,
Chicago's elevated line
and we say
"Oh! We live there."

Then, when we scurry to the Post Office
or to buy a pint of milk,
we see our own skyline
our own neighborhood,
and feel like we are on our own wide screen.

There! I saw that child last night - or was it yesterday?
That pretty girl - there! In the short fur jacket,
wasn't she the bar maid in Wednesday's quick cop raid?

Do other people who live alone feel just like this?
Spacing our emotions between commercials
for cat food and shiny cars?
Falling in love,
ten times a day with a handsome hero,
or a strong one,
or a mean one,
but one we cannot reach to touch.

Do other people who live alone,
switching on their colored lives, feel like this?
Where cameras zoom in on tears and long, sad good-byes;
where joy is the last second's freeze for the happy ending,
ends it all.

Or else,
The hero stumbles on his lonely way
As we pour ourselves another cup of tea.

Where are our lives?
Listed under 2 p.m.?
     or 4 p.m.?
     or 8?
Where are our own tears?

But mostly, Lord,
where can we find our laughter,
how can we live our joy,
if we sit,
warm and quiet before an eighteen inch screen?
But mostly, Lord,
how can we serve You,
while we watch our TV dreams?


(Japan 1977)
JOURNEY
Hope Publishing House
www.hope-pub.com

Back to Poetry Menu
Back to Main Menu