Adventures in Literary Esoterica

My Melancholy

My melancholy has excellent attendance.
It never calls out sick.
Never asks for a personal day.
It shows up early and sets up chairs.

Sometimes I wake up
and it's is already in the kitchen
drinking my coffee like it pays rent here.

I tried optimism once
like a fad diet I gave up
or a gym membership I stopped using
after just a few days

My melancholy pats the couch beside it.
And we binge-watch my regrets
in high-definition 1080p.

It isn’t just a fleeting house guest.
It moved in years ago,
hung its coat on the hook by the door,
and made itself at home.

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Line Count: 18

Form: Free verse

Prompt: Write a vignette in poetry form + Theme: an eternal sadness

Written for: "Cards Against Authors"