DIRTY LAUNDRY

I'm filling out a job application.
I hope to get a job with this employer.
This is what I'm doing as my clothes
spin around a washer.

It's hard finding work. I feel like
such a jerk. I'm worried about my
unemployment. That's what's on my mind
as I descend into the basement. I'm well
aware that I have no money. This what I
ponder as I gaze at my wet laundry.

I've been tenaciously searching. Blasting my
resume through the Internet like an injection.
But I keep hitting a fire wall of rejection. In
an interview, I always blow it. This is on my mind
as I'm careful not to trip on my laundry basket.

As I put my laundry in the dryer I think about
how to make my chances stronger. Don't forget the fabric
softener. I have a bad habit of doubting myself. I have to
break it. It has to stop or I'll never make it.

10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS YEAR ABOUT LIVING IN MINNESOTA

10. Stop doing that!
9. Living in the city has it's drawbacks: those would be the sight of your neighbor's bedroom and livingroom when you DRAW BACK your curtains in the morning.
8. Watch out for the ice.
7. 3 humans and a dog living together is stressful on the humans.
6. The third human and the dog get to know each other well when the third human has no job, no money, and has to be taken care of like he's the other pet.
5. When you slip on the ice, try to land on your butt. It breaks the fall.
4. She's not looking at you because your cute. She just needs a good laugh.
3. When you're afraid you might break the scale, it's time to stop eating and go to the gym.
2. Already having done a seasonal job with a company(who shall not be named) does NOT count for anything in the job interview when you want to be a full-time employee with said company.

And finally: Yes, dogs do fart.

SILENCE

Here's the other version. This one's satire:)

Silence is the key to our imagination. It is broken by the talkers of this nation.
Silence is wrong! It's our silence that makes them strong. Our silence gives them everything. They leave us with nothing. They blow hot air. They forget who put them there.
Payback comes when they're about to speak. They step up to the podium and look around but can't find the teleprompter. That's when their silence makes them weak. I know this means thing are bleak. But I'm laughing way to hard to be sad.
They don't like to look bad. It makes them really mad.

By Eben Cooper

SILENT

Here are two more poems that I re-wrote from an older version. One is a love poem and the other is a satirical look at our politicians. They were originally one poem, but after I showed it to a friend who teaches writing he said that it sounded like I had two poems in one. So, I separated it into two poems. Here's the love poem.

I need to prove that I'm right. You need to make a point tonight. You slam you cup on the coffee table. It shakes and makes everything unstable.
It sounds like your only bitchin'. So, I follow you as you stomp into the kitchen. You back is to me. Your hands rest on the sink. Neither one of us stops to think. You keep sobbing. I keep yelling.
You don't respond. Even after I kick a chair. I throw my hands up into the air. I storm out the door. The rain continues to poor.
I need to cool off so I rome. A few hours later I come home. I'm soaking wet as I enter the house. I try to be as quiet as a mouse. I find you sitting on the bed. Your hands are holding up your head. We are both in despair. I slump into a chair.
So, here we are. We both wonder how we got to this place. How can we end this disgrace? That's when embrace. We both feel that things are bleak. That's why I caress your cheek.
You don't need to tell me your fears. I can see them in your tears. We end this fight with a kiss. We turn it into bliss.
We don't need to talk about it. You know what I thought. I know what you meant. Let's just hold each other and be silent.

By Eben Cooper