Smoking Etiquette

By Temerity

Bring me down from the shelf

Place me next to your heart

In your shirt pocket

For safekeeping

Take me out when you need me

Time for a break

Relieve some stress

Draw me to your lips

Set me on fire

Suck me in

Savor the moment

Before you exhale

Smoke me

Use me up, then

Cast me aside

Grind me into the pavement

Beneath your shoe

The smell of me lingers

In your nostrils, in your clothes

The socially unacceptable thing

The bad habit

Tell your friends I'm not good for you

Then tell yourself it's time to quit.

Unauthorized Copying Is Prohibited. Ask the author first.
© 2007 Temerity
Published on Monday, February 19, 2007.     Filed under: "Poetry"
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Comments on "Smoking Etiquette"

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  • A former member wrote: if a cigarette could talk, those are the words it would say, verbatim... this here is like the smoke that burns my lungs.. from the first puff to the last.. dangerously addictive...

  • A former member wrote: and the symbolism! wow! deep, deep, deep..

  • A former member wrote: I like this a lot. It was a great change of pace. Nice to something different. Cool write. I Remember reading some work by Henry Rollins that this reminds me of.

  • Temerity On Wednesday, February 21, 2007, Temerity (9)By person wrote:

    ...and what if I told you that this is not really about cigarettes at all...???

  • Aunty Depressant On Tuesday, February 20, 2007, Aunty Depressant (434)By person wrote:

    I see it as a write from an odd and kind of interesting perspective. I think that people have the right to euthanize themselves, or get a quick rush,... but also nicotine is about the most f'n addictive thing.

  • Aunty Depressant On Tuesday, February 20, 2007, Aunty Depressant (434)By person wrote:

    I have had to pass on many things due to smoking being present. I have had to keep my asthmatic son from many places, and from ones I love dearly. I used to be defensive, til I saw enough...and quit.

  • Aunty Depressant On Tuesday, February 20, 2007, Aunty Depressant (434)By person wrote:

    Still crave the fuckers when I'm stressed and used to do alot of heavier things, and smoking is the first to cross my mind.

  • A former member wrote: 'Don't smoke, but war is just fine'. I don't like this topic, not that I didn't think your poem was pertinent and well-delivered...just bothers me, the anti-smoking fascism. -END

  • CharlottesWeb On Monday, February 19, 2007, CharlottesWeb (511)By person wrote:

    Doesn't matter what side of the tracks you come from in my states now. Rich or poor the people have spoken to make it illegal for anyone to smoke in a public establishment (including bars). Socially unacceptable...yes.

  • Cattarax On Monday, February 19, 2007, Cattarax (216)By person wrote:

    truthful yes .. but " socially unacceptable " I think not .. most I know smoke .. but this might be a ghetto thing .. were 90% of the comunity smokes *sigh* ~T~

  • A former member wrote: Such a truthful write

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