arrogant-joe01

this is a series of poem that i wrote for a group of messages titled: not-it
and yes- they're all sort of depressing.



deep in the heart of california’s south bay
is a beautiful city named san jose
and in san jose’s neighborhood, number 95120
lived a talented boy named arrogant joe


this wasn’t his real name, but the title stuck like a glove,
because arrogant joe was his own true love.
you see arrogant joe was conceited and proud
and when his talked with his friends, he always talked loud.
and when he spoke with his friends, they could never get a word in
and when they did get to talk he would always butt in.
arrogant joe could not share the glory-
so he would interrupt whenever his friends had a story.


when it came to sports arrogant joe was almaden’s pride
joe was the mvp at every sport he tried
whether it was soccer or baseball or football or hoops,
joe’s teams always took the win over the other town’s groups.
joe wasn’t a sore-loser because he just never lost-
but he was a sore winner, bragging in his shirts from lacoste.
his favorite topic was the review his big plays
that was arrogant joe with his arrogant ways
arrogant joe was smart and got grades in school,
but he bragged about that too, he thought he was so cool


arrogant joe was arrogant at his church’s youth group too-
he had a circle of snobby friends who sat in the snobby-friend-pew
joe and his friends put on a spiritual show-
but looked down on the kids who weren’t from 95120
they looked down on the ones who didn’t wear expensive jeans
and some students felt unwelcome around these arrogant teens.


when the youth group had a service project joe was too busy
spending time with his girlfriend: self-centered-lizzy.
but that relationship ended faster than stephen and lc’s
joe and lizzie argued over who had prettier knees-
and prettier hair, and prettier clothes
the couldn’t agree on who had the more perfect nose.
he broke up with lizzie and got a new girl-amigo
he liked her because she was popular and because she fed his ego


but with all of arrogant joe’s self-centered pride,
joe began to feel empty inside
even though joe won every game and aced every test
focusing on his own drama soon made him depressed
if only he could get his focus off of the mirror
arrogant joe might have heard god’s voice clearer.
and if he focused on others God could’ve helped his heart grow
but it stayed the same size- poor arrogant joe.