They tell me that
I can have thousands
of naked women
at my beck and call
slipping unnoticed
through a tiny wire
in my wall
They tell me that
I can own the treasures
of China and Europe
by driving my car
a mere five miles
to their
weekend only
parking lot super-sale
They tell me that
for $59.95
plus shipping and handling
I can quickly learn to master
my emotions
my work
my wife
my life
And they tell me all of this
with a straight face
assuring me that
if I cannot
pay now
I can pay later
In January
Or something
I am applauded
even rewarded
for being a flat-broke
perverted pack rat
with a bad marriage
and no
self-control
It is an old place,
the Vanity Fair
but its merchants
now wield ivy-league MBA’s
And its hours of operation
are no longer confined
by space and time
But only by
the imagination
and affections
of
The
Thoroughly
Modern
Man
8 responses so far ↓
1 Benn | 25 Apr 2006
Why is it that poetry can sometimes capture complex truths about human reality that would take an age to extrapolate any other way?
It makes me feel slightly more at ease with the world knowing that there are at least some people who are cognitive of our broken humanity
(I came across this site via chartreuse and am glad I made the trip)
2 Robert Bruce | 25 Apr 2006
The “brokeness of humanity” bit can be a tough sell in a culture that worships beauty, wealth and comfort. I figure I can throw a big stink bomb out there once in a while without too much yawning from the bleachers, there’s enough entertainment going on anyway…
I think Huxley named it “Soma”.
And no, I’m no preacher… just an amateur photographer of what I see.
3 Aaron’s Soapbox | 3 May 2006
[...] Robert Bruce | American Poet » Blog Archive » The Thoroughly Modern Man (tags: poetry insight) [...]
4 Netlex News » Blog Archive » Robert Bruce : The Thoroughly Modern Man | 10 Jul 2006
[...] The Thoroughly Modern Man [...]
5 Robert Bruce | American Poet | knifegunpen.com » Blog Archive » Sex, Money, Death And The Thoroughly Modern Man | 14 Sep 2006
[...] Here’s the latest little video that Randy and I have been working on, based on the poem The Thoroughly Modern Man. [...]
6 Robert Bruce | American Poet | knifegunpen.com » Blog Archive » KGP Broadside (The Thoroughly Modern Man) | 22 Sep 2006
[...] Sweetener: Here’s a the original post of this poem and here’s the video on YouTube. [...]
7 KGP Video Short No. 1 | 26 Mar 2007
[...] This is a film short of the poem The Thoroughly Modern Man. [...]
8 [Knife Gun Pen Press] Broadside No. 1 | 25 Aug 2007
[...] Here’s a the original post of the poem and here’s the video on [...]
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