by Eunice Park
I’m having dinner with friends tonight.
Awkward silence and ‘what have you been up to?’s
don’t exist at our dinner table. We’re all quite close.
We’ll be having Indian tonight!
I’m so excited for dinner, and I—
“Hey! Got any fun plans for tonight?”
“Oh, uh, hey. Yeah, I’ve got some plans.”
“Oh, uh…I was hoping someone in the office
would be free to grab dinner.”
“Sorry, I made these plans in advance.”
“That’s okay…I just thought it’d be nice.”
5 o’clock. I get on the train home
and I’m accompanied by music and books.
The train is full
and I am hungry.
I pick up my package from my porch,
and I make my way inside.
I sigh with relief, sink into my couch,
and select delivery.
“Alright everyone, what do we want for dinner?”
“Indian”, replied Me, Myself, and I.
I wanted to write a poem that highlights the issues present in my literature review. The installation conjecture is paired with the poem to highlight people as an obvious solution to loneliness. This poem explores the contradictory behaviors that contribute to a lonely society. Despite the subject’s intention to dine with company, the only company they’re comfortable with is themselves. Social interactions expend mental energy and are a risk to people’s comfort zones. Despite the coworker’s effort to change this, the office’s unwillingness to participate leaves them to dine alone.
