Fixation

A poem about damage control

Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash

I am broken
This I know
The questionnaire has told me so
So has the listicle, the quiz
Each pundit, guru, self-help whiz
My family, friends
My Zumba teacher
All think, “If only I could reach her,
Her life transformed would be like mine.”
That’s how I know I’m doing fine

©2025, Denise Shelton. All rights reserved.

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Notes on the origin of this poem:

I’ve been scrolling on social media too much lately because I’ve been sick with a cold (or something) and haven’t had the energy to do much else. In my weakened state, my resistance to lures like “Your Life Doesn’t Work Because You Live in the Wrong Place” or “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Retired People Make” is way down.

According to “them” (whoever THEY are), so is my happiness factor, my step count, and my social intelligence. I’m happy to report that none of this bothers me in the least because it’s mostly nonsense designed to make somebody else money.

I aim to make money by shining a little light in a dark place. So, please, like, comment, and share! Thank you.