Everyday

Everyday

“It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny.”
― Jean Nidetch

Here I lay in the hospital bed,

The bed that keeps me comfy

And the bed that holds my broken body.

As I lay here in the hospital bed,

I think of all the possibilities I could have avoided.

When I woke up in the morning,

I pondered over flossing.

Usually I floss and then brush,

But I thought to skip.

If I had only flossed my teeth.

This morning when I poured some orange juice,

I spilled a little on the counter.

I thought of cleaning it when I returned.

If only I had cleaned it right away.

As I walked to my car,

I passed through my garden.

I thought of smelling the roses,

But I figured they’re not going anywhere.

If only I had stopped to smell the roses.

On my way out I saw the newspaper,

Lying near the porch.

Usually I pick it up and read it during lunch,

But I wanted to surf the web and chat with friends.

If only I had just picked it up.

When I arrived at the bank,

The bank teller wanted to talk about her vacation.

I told her to tell me another time since I was in a hurry.

She understood and bid me goodbye.

If only I had listened to her story.

While driving to work,

Going through a green light,

I saw a car and from the corner of my eye,

It was a bright red car coming from the right side.

I had no time to react and remember looking up at the sky.

As I lay in my bed,

The one that gives me comfort,

I imagine all the possibilities

I could have chosen,

To keep me off this horrid hospital bed.

            Billy Collins has many qualities in his poetry. The poem I wrote, Everyday, shares some of the qualities he has. His poems are entertaining for the reader similar to mine. I have used the irony of speech likewise to Billy Collins. I talk about taking time to smell the roses based off the cliché.  My poem is also a “What if” poem because of the main character saying if he did the other choice. The poem is spoken in a normal natural voice with good details, grammar, and it is easy to understand. Everyday tells a story related to other Billy Collins’ poems. I have modeled my poem after The Lanyard because it was one of my favorite poems.