The Guest
I was a guest of the family
An outsider, inside
And for a few hours
I was forced to abide
I listened to minor grievances
About events of the day
Voiced in major tones
So little good to say
There were quarrels about dinner
And what we would eat
Or, where will I sit
Now that she has my seat
Would you pass the potatoes
Gimme those beans
It was just like the movies
One of those Keystone scenes
This made my fill
An arduous ordeal
With mumbling parties
On both sides of the meal
Then they clamored
Now for desert
But before we revert
Let us ask the guest how he feels
They seemed contemptuous
In their desire I should speak
As though the guest was guilty
With nothing to say, he must be weak
They moaned about my slow response
Little, of which to complain
Then I rose like a thunder-head
And lauded them with shame
You speak with eloquent tongue
Of things, which you can grumble
You place a mighty stone
For peaceful men to stumble
I suggest breaking your legs
Making your complaints so rich
For this would certainly fuel the fire
That burns in you to bitch
They looked at me with expanding eyes
You have the nerve
Coming to rest in our gracious home
Eating the food we serve
Then, you protest the atmosphere
And voice your disdain
You wonder why we are not happy here
It is because people like you complain
I started to laugh
Then thought is unwise
Hostility was brewing
This could mean demise
Carefully easing my chair from the table
Making my way for flight
Stepping into the car I heard
I did the dishes last night
Jack Richards
whatifisit@yahoo.com
copyright 2005
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Submitted on May 01, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:28 min read
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Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABXB XCXC DEXE XFGF XHGH IJJX XKAK XLXM XNXN XODO PQXQ XLXL XPXP NRIR XMR |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 1,510 |
Words | 294 |
Stanzas | 15 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3 |
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"The Guest" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/86876/the-guest>.
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