[the Writing of Kuypers]    [JanetKuypers.com]    [Bio]    [Poems]    [Prose]

how do i get there I excuse me I’ve been driving for a while this gas station is the first sign of life I’ve seen we’ve been looking for 196 North Macintosh court for a while the directions said we had to take a left on the street we were just on a few miles ago but Macintosh court isn’t there there’s a Macintosh street and Mapquest told me of a Macintosh Avenue but an avenue would be going the wrong way I... I’m really confused you’re the only attendant here you’re the only one that can help me this is the address how do I get there? II I just got out of college a few months ago just got my degree I feel important now I know the career I’ve studied for now I’ve got to get the job of my dreams I filled out a ton of resumes got a few calls back now i’ve got my first interview I’ve got my interview jacket on I answer all of the questions right I see the offices and I think excuse me this is what I should have am I doing this right? how do I get there? III I am a 28 year old woman I am doing well on my own I’m the one with the car I’m the one with the plan people always look to me for answers I look around me I am pleased and then I see my high school friends married sometimes with their high school sweetheart and with a kid or two different life from me I’ve been the beacon all along, but here I am on top of the mountain the one with the answers alone and I think hey, I’m a girl maybe I should want that maybe I should want that white picket fence and the two point three kids and that man I can lean on so I don’t have to be the beacon I look down at myself and I think this is what I am I look at these suburban families and I think is this what I should want? who will sweep me off my feet? where is my man? where is that dream? how do I get there? IV I look out my window and see that insanely tall man walking down the street with the girlfriend that’s five foot two and I wonder if this girl has a father-figure complex and I wonder if this guy needs a small girl that he can break into two pieces or if he needs to feel dominant over everything in his life isn’t the tall white male dominant over everything already? so I wonder why is this insanely short girl dating this insanely tall man? why are they taking from the gene pool these (albeit neanderthal) men from us tall women? is this fair? how do I have a chance at a tall man when these short barbie doll women stop me before I can start? I see these images these people walking down the street hand in hand and I wonder how do I get that image I dream of how do I get the dozen roses how do I get that box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day hell, I’ll settle for Sweetest Day how do I get those generic symbols of love? how do I get there? V I see all of this hatred at a time that is supposed to be good and I wonder where that light at the end of the tunnel is and I wonder where that cloud’s silver lining is and I try to remember what love is like and I try to remember the hearts and candies and flowers and sunsets and all that other crap that is supposed to make you happy and I try to remember those Harlequin romance novels that I never read where someone is rescuing the damsel riding away on a white horse in to the sunset and I wonder where is that in real life? how do I get there? how do I get out of this cycle? how do I get out of this downward spiral? VI you see, I’ve got this road map I’ve seen how families work my mom and dad are still together people want to hook up people want to get together people want to procreate it’s human nature spread the seed tend to the flock hallmark even added sweetest day to the holiday mix in a different season than valentine’s day so that people’d have another time of year to be mushy and gushy and romantic with one another anything to boost sales of flowers and candies, and cards anything to increase sales and I see these generic stereotypes about love and sometimes I feel like I should be a part of that that I should get those bon bons or truffles or whatever candy you’re normally supposed to get on valentine’s day and you know I don’t even really like eating candies but damnit, the sentiment is there and I want that sentiment I want to know how to find love cause I’ve been looking and I don’t know what to tell myself any longer how do I get there?