Proust’s Questionnaire

 They found her in repose underneath the rose

Eating chocolate trifle layer cake and smoking cigarettes 

(The one thing she said she had the most regrets)

A book upon her chest, Margaret Atwood’s best

Muttering away ok ok ok it’s ok everything’s going to be ok

There was nothing more to say

She was exhausted by the war and all the people 

she deplored, narcissists, and self-made bores

First responders could not revive her

But she looked peaceful there, in her garden by the sea

(Although having answered some questions truthfully

 on Proust’s test, she had lied about the rest).


Proust’s Questionnaire

write a poem based on the “Proust Questionnaire,” a set of questions drawn from Victorian-era parlor games, and adapted by modern interviewers.
The Interview 
What is your idea of perfect happiness? To have good friends a home and surrounded by nature 
What is your greatest fear? War
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Laziness 
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Narcissistic  
Which living person do you most admire? Margaret Atwoood
What is your greatest extravagance? Tuxedo chocolate trifle layer cake
What is your current state of mind? Exhausted 
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? having earned success
On what occasion do you lie? To avoid socializing 
What do you most dislike about your appearance? Aged
Which living person do you most despise? Donald Trump
What is the quality you most like in a man? Artistry 
What is the quality you most like in a woman? Same
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? It’s ok everything’s going to be ok
What or who is the greatest love of your life? My poets cats and dog
When and where were you happiest? Young and in love
Which talent would you most like to have? Carpentry
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would be 20 years younger/healthier 
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Worked hard all my life
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A tree
Where would you most like to live? By the sea 
What is your most treasured possession? My car
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Homelessness 
What is your favorite occupation? Gardening 
What is your most marked characteristic? Introvert 
What do you most value in your friends? Care constancy 
Who are your favorite writers? Margaret Atwood, John Fowles, Hilda Dolittle
Who is your hero of fiction? Anne of Green Gables
Which historical figure do you most identify with? Florence Nightingale 
Who are your heroes in real life? First responders 
What are your favorite names? John Jessie Jennifer Julia Ron
What is it that you most dislike? Entitled people 
What is your greatest regret? Smoking cigarettes 
How would you like to die? They found her in repose underneath the rose
What is your motto? Look ahead 

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