big night at whole foods
jesus walked into whole foods today
mary was close behind in an elegant silk robe
the wise men were nowhere in sight
i believe they were seeking papaya
and a tannin-free pinot
no one noticed
perhaps they had just finished ice skating on the roof
refreshed almost
lest you think it wasn’t *that* jesus
let me assure you streaks of light
were shooting out of his head
as he walked by
“maybe the halogen lights in your eyes?” you say
or perhaps
i am an unbeliever or unsaved
maybe even of unsound mind
but i’m not kidding
oh, look over there
it’s buddha in the checkout line
with a beautiful woman or two
it’s a big night at whole foods
in austin, texas
john mcelhenney – 2015
image: whole foods, creative commons usage
take action
[from a second wave – poetry]
take action
the yoga girl is leaving the building
all dating sites are down
and i’m sitting here
earbuds and bubbly water
wishin, hopin, thinkin,
i’d make a good snuggle bunny
with shea butter and coconut
and moves that make me blush
recalling how much i’m out of practice
i can still smell her
the last one
i would fall back into her arms
if harms way was not right after
there’s no going home again
once the ship has been burnt
and sailed
and
nothing
i’ve got
nothing
as she glides effortlessly by
down and away
with not a nod or side glance
a girl like that
she’s going home to someone
she’s eating organic
she’s doing yoga
she
is a figment of my peripheral vision
i nearly catch a glance of something possible
and it know it’s my
issue
all this longing
and words
and l e t t e r s
take action
i tell you
this sitting
writing
pining
is
not
working
and it’s not part of the plan
either
get up
get out
get going
10-29-14
image: take action at wfm, the author, cc 2014
Dialing In My Ideals In a Woman: From Hippie to High Class
I was having coffee with a friend of mine at an upscale place last week and we both acknowledged several of the beautiful women who passed through while we were meeting.
“I really like Whole Foods Market for people watching,” I said.
“They’re too hippie for me,” he said.
Wow, it was a major difference that got me thinking. What was the criteria I was hoping for when hoping for my next female companion?
She probably shops at Whole Foods more than Costco.
She’s comfortable in flipflops and high heels and appreciates the difference.
She drives a foreign car built within the last 6 years.
She has kids.
She’s divorced.
She is naturally attractive, with or without makeup. Conscious of the aging process and happy to acknowledge the changes, not afraid of them.
And so today, as I was walking around Whole Foods I noticed a lot of women that caught my eye. (My sister was very much a hippie.) Much more so than the women moving through the fancy coffee bar. But one other recent statistic I heard about came to mind about income level. The gist was something about your income level is directly related to the closest 5 people around you. Meaning, you hang with people that make about the same amount of money.
With that, there is no telling what these whimsical organically-minded women are making, or the model of car they are driving. But, for me, they are starting with a core concept for me. They are more concerned with fair trade than the lowest possible price. They have some intentions around eating healthy and go to the trouble to make that happen. They tend towards essential oil fragrances over new scent from the latest designer at Nordstroms.
Sincerely,
The Off Parent
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