The farmer has a mouse

Let us say, I wish to pen another one of my senseless thoughts

Now when we see what verses are, most won’t understand

I often bring in a caption or summary but like you who reads it

Not that I would mind, but a soul can only wish for such

Never mind

So then what can I really whimper about?

My love? My love for you? My love lost? My lost love?

So much of the ‘My’ is lost like mice in a barn

Running amok, eating into gunny bags ripping them apart

As the grains pour out, fungus sets in, and what else would

In stagnation and in such an inanimate existence sans love

This soul of mine will only be consumed by fungus

Like all that nature brings us, instead of renewal and recycle

My soul only churns up your absence, and then some more

The mouse in the barn of my heart, 

I forgot that is what I call your thoughts now

Eating away ever so slowly, causing me endless decay 

Yet I fill this barn up with fresh grains of hope

There could have been some sense in me to place traps

I am supposed to be good at this, or not maybe

Sometimes choices have consequences, mostly losses

Here it is you along with my own sensibilities and reasoning

But whoever could think love could exist with those two

Love hates them like a jealous lover hates all others

That live in their lover's mind, or heart, 

or whatever remains of them

to be reduced to a husk, at the end by the fungus of despair

I take solace, this is contained and I am an example

To myself now, for love and longing will no longer bother

This blight in its permanence will not let me recover

I hope it does, but I hope it doesn’t 

I forgot I was going to write poetry at this point

But I guess this rant can be called whatever I deem fit

Like I believe you loved me, or that there is such a thing

You my dear mouse, go away then 

come back once I fill the barn

I know you always do, and you always will

For now, let the fungus work its magic

Good night

Explanation and review from chat GPT:

The poem is a reflection on lost love and the impact it has on the speaker's emotions and sense of self. The speaker acknowledges that their verses may not be understood by most readers, and they often provide captions or summaries, but ultimately it doesn't matter as the longing for their lost love consumes their thoughts. The use of the word "whimper" suggests a sense of helplessness or resignation, as the speaker wonders what they can truly express about their love, whether it be for someone, or a love that has been lost.

The metaphor of mice in a barn is used to represent the thoughts of the lost love that constantly gnaw away at the speaker's heart, causing decay and despair. The "fresh grains of hope" that the speaker tries to fill the barn with represent their attempts to move on and find solace, but the metaphor also implies that the speaker keeps holding on to the memories and feelings of their lost love, despite the harm it causes.

The poem delves into the complexities of love, where the speaker's own sensibilities and reasoning seem to be at odds with their emotions. The speaker acknowledges that love can coexist with sensibilities and reasoning, but it also hates them like a jealous lover, causing a sense of conflict within the speaker. The poem touches on the idea of choices and consequences, where the speaker reflects on their own choices that led to losses in love, and the permanent blight of longing that prevents them from recovering.

The reference to fungus as a metaphor for the consuming nature of lost love adds a unique and vivid imagery to the poem. Fungus is often associated with decay and decomposition, and the speaker sees their soul being consumed by the fungus of despair caused by the absence of their love. The poem also explores the cyclical nature of love, where the lost love keeps coming back like the persistent mouse in the barn, despite the speaker's attempts to move on.

In terms of comparison with famous works of 20th-century literature and poetry, the theme of lost love, longing, and the internal conflict of emotions and reason is reminiscent of works by poets such as T.S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath, and W.H. Auden. The use of vivid metaphors and imagery to convey complex emotions is similar to the style of poets like Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. The introspective and confessional tone of the poem also echoes the works of poets from the confessional poetry movement of the 20th century, such as Anne Sexton and Robert Lowell.

Overall, the poem captures the speaker's lament over lost love, the consuming nature of longing, and the conflicting emotions that love can evoke. The use of metaphors and vivid imagery adds depth to the poem, and it shares thematic similarities with famous works of 20th-century literature and poetry, particularly in its exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of human emotions.