Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.

Citizens Bank checking account...

electronically looted, pilferred,
sabotaged, et cetera...yet again

for the umteenth time

courtesy banker or employee
of Capital One the culprit
finding me strategizing in my den

of thieving magpies chiefly Rossini

actually our's (the missus and me),

primped and prodded himself
when out stage door left
here comes the rooster
who doth doodle

with his cocksure attitude

while when in her siesta the hen

dreaming, envisioning, frightening
nightmares videlicet harried lifestyles
of the rich and famous
while yours truly swiftly tailored
courtesy his own brand
of mailer daemons

subjecting me sadomasochistically
as if being inflicted
with blackened barbs

in jest this husband

for nearly thirty years

as her once adulterous Ken,
who still aspires for platonic relationship
with a liberal minded

nonestablishmentarian, proletarian

pennsylvanian, and Unitarian

writer wannabe, who whiz openly

receptive to a gal who exhibits

a rendering that represents

the ultimate moral standard of altruism,
empathy, and treating others
with kindness within the human community

often translated as "humaneness,"
"benevolence," or "co-humanity"
of the foundational virtue

wherein Chinese philosophy, Ren (仁)

meaning "humaneness"

or "benevolence"
eluding discovery within suburban
enclave, yet quiet enough

to experience ambient zen,
a minimalist aesthetic,
state of mind, or soundscape
designed to evoke peace,
clarity, and deep relaxation

essentially a school
of Mahayana Buddhism

that emphasizes direct,
intuitive enlightenment through meditation
to escape being preyed upon
which finds me breathlessly
uttering Jesus effing Christ
I feel in the cross hairs and targeted
cuz time and again

yours truly id est me
feels persecuted and crucified

dear almighty creator stop the world,

cuz next stop
I wanna and gonna get off
at Willoughby,
the little town time forgot
and the years could not improve
located within the outer limits
of the twilight zone,
where dark shadows forbidden
to affect pitch perfect Utopia,

an endless string of days

where ideal spring weather predominates

analogous to soundcloud machine
churning out massless globular renditions
rendering imagine aery dragons

frolicking in the autumn mist

with good ole Puff the magic dragon

blanketing the heavenly vault

casting vaporous figments

cue - kids television cartoons,
where enemies of major protagonistic
with futility attempt
employing violent character assassination

creators dreamt up since...

time immemorial soon after
age of television as novelty aired,

where teaser and the firecat meowed

after morning hath broken

showing and telling
fictional favorite episodes,
whereat figments of winning hits
live opulently in their own Nirvana,

where swell looking groundsward

case in point likened
to where Teletubbies live
within the make believe world

of fictional, grassy land
called Teletubbyland,
their main shelter an earth house
named the "Tubbytronic Superdome,"

totally immune to lawlessness run amuck
within the real webbed wide world

another case in point showing

the maddening shenanigans
such as experiencing 
at the unpleasant 
receiving end of bank fraud

cyber derelicts fatally impacted me

time and again
since the beginning of time,
where the forebears
of yours truly
lionized in tandem
with tagline of Tony the Tiger
(the owner of these hands
belonging to... Yes,
an Owner of a Lonely Heart )
unlike a bajillion years ago,
where rudimentary cingular
cellular life forms
totally oblivious to the burst
of disrupting peaceful
easy going feeling
countless millenniums later
to hear updated Katy Perry roar
(in imitation of iconic voice
originally created by
American bass singer and actor
Thurl Ravenscroft
prompting commercial pitch animal)
about Kellogg's sugar
Frosted Flakes "They're Gr-r-reat!"

 

— Jane A. Rug, May 31, 2026

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Direction: What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: PA, USA

Favorite Poets: Robert Burns, Charles Dickens, Robert Frost, Matthew Scott Harris, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Sylvia Plath, Gary Snyder, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman

More from this author

Critiques

neopoet

neopoet

5 days 1 hour ago

Neopoet AI [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

This poem presents a sprawling, stream-of-consciousness narrative that intertwines personal grievance, cultural references, and philosophical musings. The voice is candid and raw, conveying frustration with financial institutions and a sense of being victimized repeatedly. The poem’s strength lies in its vivid imagery and the way it juxtaposes the mundane (bank fraud, everyday frustrations) with lofty ideals (Ren, Mahayana Buddhism, utopian visions).

However, the poem’s sprawling structure and dense allusions can make it challenging to follow. The shifts between topics—from the personal to the philosophical to pop culture—sometimes feel abrupt, which may disrupt the reader’s engagement. Consider tightening the poem’s focus by clarifying the central narrative or emotional arc. For example, honing in on the experience of financial betrayal and its psychological impact could provide a stronger throughline.

The use of classical and cultural references (Rossini, Ren, Teletubbies, Puff the Magic Dragon) adds layers of meaning but might benefit from more explicit connections to the poem’s core themes. Some phrases and lines, such as “mailer daemons” and “blackened barbs,” are evocative but could be expanded or contextualized to enhance their resonance.

The poem’s tone fluctuates between sardonic humor, bitterness, and philosophical reflection. This complexity is intriguing but could be balanced more deliberately to guide the reader’s emotional response. Experimenting with varied line breaks or stanza divisions might also improve pacing and readability.

In summary, the poem’s ambition and rich imagery are notable, but focusing its thematic scope and refining its structure would strengthen its impact and accessibility.

Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to our contact form.