The poetic city: “A Matter of Choice 4/5/17”

As the holiday treat trays make more of an appearance in life, poet Reece Burka questions the idea of choice in his latest poem (Photo by: Tim Lewis)

 

A Matter of Choice    4/15/17 
 
Sitting in the customer lounge
 
of the dealership out on Veterans
waiting for my car to be repaired… 
 
My laptop shares a table 
with a platter of treats – 
different kinds of small pastries 
set out for the pleasure of 
my fellow patrons 
 
As they come and go from 
the tray of goodies, some feel 
compelled to make a remark 
in light of the choices 
they are making. 
 
One congratulates me for 
my forbearance; another explains
why it’s ok for her to partake;  
a third asks my opinion about 
which to choose.  
 
I am amused, but not unsympathetic.
Such choices of no moment
make up so much of life…
 
But their need to comment 
as they go about their choosing 
leaves me to ponder 
the meaning of choice, free will, 
and  wonder how truly free it is… 
 
Unable to arrive at a satisfying conclusion, 
I end up grateful that I did not feel
compelled to indulge today… 
tomorrow might be a different story.

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