selling indulgences
Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : January 12, 2008
mirth filled faces
attached to bundled-up bodies
wandering downtown minneapolis
a winter wonderland
hey, let’s hop the light rail
to the Mall of America
amusement for the whole family
stores lined up like gumball machines
we skip through this indoor shiny city
with heads crowned in consumer glory
little golden birds twitter in our ears
wooing us, cooing us
as our eyes glitter like sapphires
sing a sappy song
dance a joyful jig
we’re on our way to a brighter day!
heading to Midtown Market
to sample the flavors of the world
whoa, it’s like a frozen Mexico over here
but I’ll have some east African cuisine
’cause I’m feeling adventersome
and let’s get some Starbucks on the way home
but make it fair trade
its good to be home now
but I ate too much
I’ll go to the co-op tomorrow
and start over fresh
a healthier me brought to you by
organic produce and textured soap
sing a sappy song
dance a joyful jig
we’re on our way to a brighter day!
for further reading . . .
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I know poetry doesn’t beg for discussion…but come on, someone. Throw me a bone here!
This is my first attempt at writing poetry that isn’t confrontational. My wife said that the poem “didn’t make her feel bad” like some of my other poems. But as upbeat as it is, it is a subversive poem that pokes fun at consumption.
To help you understand the poem a bit, downtown Minneapolis is a shopping hub, but the Mall of America has drawn business away…the two places are connected with our light rail system.
Midtown Market is an international market area (indoor of course) that is located in an area of Minneapolis that has a highly diverse population–with latinos being among the most represented in the neighborhood.
My poem is an attempt at lovingly poking fun at the consumer mentality and how it trivializes everything. And how we consume to assuage our guilt from overconsuming.