It's Still Life

17 October: Thirteen Couplets

AI Digital Art

Thirteen Couplets

I’m not sure how many layers
are required to feel warm.

Four maybe. At least
I’m not shivering any longer.

There’s warmth from friction,
a good shiver is as good as wool.

The price of electricity, shocking,
food and fuel shortages. Strikes.

No mail. Strike. No trains. Strike.
One more strike, and I’m out.

I dry clothes in the greenhouse.
When it rains. When it’s cold.

You know that trick: put dryer
balls in the washing machine?

He moved his car out of the garage.
It’s raining, he says, rainwater is

softer than tap water. Melts dirt,
and it dries without spots.

Everything is about drying lately.
Nobody irons anymore. Too costly.

We still have a hosepipe ban. It’s
raining but water’s still restricted.

I bought a bag of candles today
for when the blackouts start.

It will take me a while to peel
off all these layers tonight.

Misky

Oct 17, 2022

AI Art, Poetic Forms, Poetry

18 responses to “17 October: Thirteen Couplets”

peterfrankiswrites

Oct 17, 2022 at 9:10 am

Lovely (but grim and chill). The image of the rainwater on the car, softly melting dirt, such a nice touch.

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1. Misky
  
  Oct 17, 2022 at 10:32 am
  
  I can’t understand why I feel so cold when the house is 17C.
  
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abigfatcanofworms

Oct 17, 2022 at 9:20 am

I agree with Peter’s comment. It is a bit grim. I feel like the people of the UK are having a really rough time.

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1. Misky
  
  Oct 17, 2022 at 10:27 am
  
  Yes, and yes we are. But so is most of Europe. It’s dire. I have no clue how people on a low income are managing.
  
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  1. abigfatcanofworms
    
    Oct 17, 2022 at 10:31 am
    
    I feel like something must crack in the facade of peace. I met a British woman walking her dog who had recently been back to England to visit her mother. She thought it probable that it would be cheaper for her mother to spend the winter going on cruises than to stay at home and warm her house. In Australia, too (although perhaps not to the same extent) the poor are being squeezed of everything with fuel prices, rent/house prices, food’s going up… and yet salaries have not increased (at least not to at all keep pace with inflation) for a decade.
    
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    1. Misky
      
      Oct 17, 2022 at 10:36 am
      
      That’s why everyone is striking here; pay to meet inflation, which then rises inflation. It’s a spiral. People are actually going to shopping malls, not buy anything, but to keep warm. And the hard bite of winter isn’t even here yet!
      
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      1. abigfatcanofworms
        
        Oct 17, 2022 at 10:44 am
        
        😢
        
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kenhume31

Oct 17, 2022 at 1:15 pm

We can relate to buying candles for the house in case of blackouts. In fact we’ve already been using them just to save on the electric. Prices going up here in Ireland too, doubling in price in some cases. But there are folk much worse off! ☹️ Very grim yes but an accurate & descriptive portrayal all the same of the current state of affairs in the world.

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1. Misky
  
  Oct 18, 2022 at 9:18 pm
  
  We’ve had a few warm days (18C!) so at least my teeth aren’t chattering.
  
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  1. kenhume31
    
    Oct 18, 2022 at 9:32 pm
    
    Same here, weather’s been a bit brighter the past few days. But we had a storm Saturday and Sunday before.
    
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Michele Marsh

Oct 18, 2022 at 1:06 am

I’m a huge fan of layering the colder the more I feel alive! I hate ironing
I use my hair blow dryer to smooth out wrinkles so this poem really speaks to me ❤️

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1. Misky
  
  Oct 18, 2022 at 9:17 pm
  
  Hurrah for layers!
  
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  1. Michele Marsh
    
    Oct 19, 2022 at 12:52 am
    
    Yes yes yes!! 🥰
    
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petrujviljoen

Oct 19, 2022 at 7:24 am

I’m going to have to try the Mid Journey app. The stuff you come up with is truly astonishing. I saw in the news the UK is about to follow South Africa’s example about blackouts. We’ve been suffering them for 15 years! Lately it’s worse, we’ve had four hour down-times, but more to do these days with sabotage than actual necessity. I read Truss may be on her way out soon. Maybe a better leader will emerge who will manage the country better? Can’t Therese May come back?

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1. Misky
  
  Oct 20, 2022 at 12:24 pm
  
  I don’t think May is daft enough to take that on again. She actually ended up as PM by default because the other candidate dropped out. Goodness knows how this will all end.
  
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  1. petrujviljoen
    
    Oct 20, 2022 at 12:34 pm
    
    And in the mean time we’re all worried about Putin. 🤦🏻‍♀️
    
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    1. Misky
      
      Oct 20, 2022 at 5:42 pm
      
      Well Truss is gone.
      
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      1. petrujviljoen
        
        Oct 20, 2022 at 5:58 pm
        
        I saw! Well done! Oh dear, now who’s the next one? Holding thumbs!
        
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