Wise Monkey

Day 22: "write your own poem in which the speaker is in dialogue with him or herself. 

Jaswinder Bolina’s poem “Mood Ring” imagines the speaker as both himself and an interior being (who happens to take the form of a small donkey). It’s quite silly . . . and not silly at the same time. A sort of “serious fun.” "

I don't have a donkey inside me - small or otherwise - but I've written a few times of having an inner dialogue between conflicting sides of myself. Perhaps it might help to think of having something separate trying to help me break out of my set ways?


Wise Monkey

Monkey waited for his chance
Impatient for some fun. 
You're really boring nowadays, 
Old age has near begun. 

Life used to be quite crazy
You'd be flitting here and there, 
But now you seem forever
Rooted in that chair. 

Get up, get out, just shake yourself,
You've lost the zest of youth. 
Offended, I protested, 
But saw he spoke some truth. 

Get going or you'll lose the will
To do it!  You'll be stuck!
To have a monkey goad you on,  
What invaluable good luck!

With every day I find more zing
Though the zest of youth has passed,
Monkey no longer nags at me
Now I've done all that he asked. 

I can't say that I miss him
Or his relentless blunt attack, 
But I'd like to thank him for the nudge,
That brought my mojo back.


© Copyright 2026. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved


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