Comebacks Come Too Late

Laurel Lee 1970 (Louisville)

July 23

Free verse

Comebacks come too late sometimes,
Like when I’m in the shower.
Pinging in my head like chimes,
Though raining down, they’ve lost their power.

For in the moment when I needed
This queue of comebacks, they receded.
So, I relive them- each debate;
Quickly quoting quips so great,
As though I were a wordsmith wit!
Only now, thinking back on it…

To just reclaim that lost half-hour!
If comebacks could my tongue empower!
Gone would be that mute wallflower!
This snappy sass would set them straight-
I’d be the one to celebrate!

But yes, of course, the moment’s gone.
As they say, “The curtain’s drawn.”
Comebacks come too late sometimes;
Pinging in my head like chimes.

About this poem

I think this one is self-explanatory.

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Written on May 14, 2023

Submitted by Laurelmlee on July 16, 2023

Modified by Laurelmlee on August 09, 2023

: 40 sec read
: 53 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	AbAb ccddee bbbdd ffAA
Closest metre	Iambic tetrameter
Characters	685
Words	134
Stanzas	4
Stanza Lengths	4, 6, 5, 4

Full analysis for Comebacks Come Too Late »

Laurel Lee

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2 Comments

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Jewoo525
I laughed while reading this poem, it's so relatable! The shower is where I get a lot of these thoughts and even ideas for poems. I liked the simplistic but genuine nature of the poem's message and presentation.

Great topic to write about and well-executed. Keep writing. more »
LikeReply 18 months ago
- Laurelmlee
  Thanks! I think a lot of us are inspired in the shower, the car, or our beds right before falling asleep, with much of our best stuff, right?
  LikeReply8 months ago
BCByron
There's nothing like a well-timed, sassy zinger. I can relate to this poem, but it also makes me think of all the time we waste stewing on the perfect comeback to boost our own ego. All the while we are really sticking it to ourselves by imprisoning our minds in the past. more »
LikeReply 18 months ago
- Laurelmlee
  Yeah, but it happens to a lot of us regardless. I must have been stewing on something myself, because I can’t even remember what I was doing when the idea for this poem occurred to me!
  LikeReply8 months ago

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"Comebacks Come Too Late" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/165768/comebacks-come-too-late>.

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