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I am literally shaking my head at myself as a post this at being so weak to break the chain. It’s the books.

The Beanstalk

Years ago I climbed the beanstalk,
met the Giant in his castle
full of promises
of fast, free delivery,
shopping from home
with my bedroom slippers on.

The glitter of entertainment,
a library of movies and shows,
enticed me to come,
no more returning movies,
entire seasons at a click,
sitting in my comfy chair
with my pajamas on.

Then came the golden egg -
the book app - books needing
no shelves, a virtual library
of best sellers, old classics,
the works, held in one hand
with my coffee in the other.

The Giant smiled,
knowing he had me
hooked.

I have stayed in his castle
as he has downgraded
amenities, charged extra
for access to different rooms,
my own limited by the tips
he demands.

And yet I remain here,
caught in the atmosphere
of convenience.

Looking back to before the Castle,
before the Giant bid me enter,
I remember what was…
the anxiety of shopping
to find the best price,
the urgency to finish a book
before the library called it due,
the missed episodes of TV shows,
the movie rental deadlines,
the cost of cable, always increasing,
and I pause…

I hear the call
of the Golden Goose
and take my seat.

Poetry by Melinda K Zarate