I was on the way to a bookstore, listening to the radio in the car. I heard a man reading to an audience. It was Billy Collins, former poet laureate of the United States. His poems were conversational and really funny. For example, he read the title, Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep a Gun at in the House and then began, “The neighbor’s dog will not stop barking.”  I knew exactly what he meant after that first line.

I never realized that poetry could be so funny, since I heard, The Cremation of Sam McGee, by Robert Service.

I haven’t studied poetry.  I made up the following lines and I don’t know if it qualifies as a poem, a piece of a poem or just plain old kvetching.

I drink my coffee black

I don’t want to be any trouble

Don’t pass the salt

It’s not good to have too much

Besides, bland is my favorite flavor

Al dente is ok with me

I want my carbon footprint to be small

I can walk to the store from here

It’s just down the block

A mile

I would like it to be a poem, but I’m prepared for the news that it is not. If it isn’t, I’d like to know why.

Thank you for your indulgence.