Lemonade: proudly rejected by Poetry Magazine
I wrote this poem in college after I gave a few dramatic monologues with very little positive response.
Lemonade
When the limelight turns on, I stand in the center with a clear plastic pitcher.
I pour out my heart like lemonade (sour and sweet) and I serve it to the crowd in those little dixie cups,
and they sip a little, and toss out the rest as they walk out the door.
They walk together and say, "pretty good," "decent," "fairly good beginning," "that was a start."
When the limelight turns off, I stand in the center- all by myself, with an empty pitcher.
They thought my heart was mediocre.
Lemonade
When the limelight turns on, I stand in the center with a clear plastic pitcher.
I pour out my heart like lemonade (sour and sweet) and I serve it to the crowd in those little dixie cups,
and they sip a little, and toss out the rest as they walk out the door.
They walk together and say, "pretty good," "decent," "fairly good beginning," "that was a start."
When the limelight turns off, I stand in the center- all by myself, with an empty pitcher.
They thought my heart was mediocre.
This is still one of my favorite of your poems.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I have always liked it, too, but I have submitted it to three different magazines and they all turned it down. Crazy editors.
ReplyDelete