Of all the ways I use to self-soothe when stressed
Making unnecessary purchases is the one that needs to be addressed
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There are times when my morale runs low
Or I am exhausted from constantly being on the go
Books and podcasts fail to keep me engaged
In trying to write I keep staring at a blank page
I am alone with my devices, scrolling aimlessly
Advertisements for clothing and accessories keep luring me
In to making a purchase I definitely do not require
And I proceed to buy stuff not out of desire
But out of boredom, and a misguided sense
That I deserve something nice as a reward for my workload intense
*
In terms of material objects I already have more than enough
And when I keep adding to my stash of unnecessary stuff
I assume ownership and therefore the responsibility
To manage a large and disorganized inventory
And as I have lamented, for time I’m already hard-pressed
Having more stuff to take care of just adds to my stress
*
When a new object comes into my possession
It makes me happy momentarily, then goes into recession
At the back of closets and other storage spaces in my dwelling
And the amount of useless stuff in my home keeps swelling
*
There are enough clothes currently on this planet to dress
The population for six generations-and I confess
This statistic is profoundly sobering to me
My habitual consumption makes me feel guilty
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Before I go further, let me acknowledge
The unassailable fact that I am incredibly privileged
To be able to buy what I want without finances being a consideration
And that is why at some level I have an obligation
To consider the carbon footprint of this unfortunate habit of mine
And keep the negative impact of conspicuous consumption in my mind
Passion...unbridled 