Uncompromising
Harsh,
Uncompromising,
Lacking even the
Most basic civility.
Sometimes
Pain obliterates
Everything
Else.
Each day
A new
Opportunity
Missed.
Short Free Verse Poems about the Human Condition
Some Proven Way
If only there were
Some proven way to
Extract the hardness
From the world and
Replace it with
Softness, kindness,
Empathy, all the things
Damaged people recoil from
And push to the side
As they destroy the world…
There is, and it’s called
Healing one’s hurts.
Strange
They were taken aback when
The child spoke freely,
Unencumbered by strictures,
Joyfully sharing his experience.
It felt strange, uncomfortable
To them, but only until they
Realized he had been
Given the gift of a voice.
Intention
It’s one thing
To oppose everything
And build your entire
Reason for being on
The premise that you’re
There to block the
Fabricated malfeasance of
An empirically well-meaning
Leader, but quite another
To find yourself in
Charge of things and
Prove beyond a shadow of
A doubt that you never
Knew how to govern or
Even had that intention.
No Qualms
He has no qualms
About letting children
Starve or succumb to
Illness, it’s a
Dog eat dog world
As far as he’s concerned,
And people have it
Coming according to
What he calls morality.
Sitting across from You
Sitting across
From you enjoying
The time we have
Together, knowing
It won’t last forever,
Wishing it would,
Words that bring
Us joy and sorrow.
Not Much
Not much is happening
Now in this little town
Left behind by people
Who moved on when they
Had extracted everything.
Gary walks past the
Old plant, reminiscing
About he and his friends
Trading barbs while they
Assembled machines that
Made things happen.
All sense of purpose gone,
Nothing left but
Bewilderment,
Nobody listening.
Noxious
One by one
They coalesce
Until they become
A noxious mass,
They follow
Each other into
The abyss,
Bringing everything
Else imaginable
Down with them,
Toxic cult of
Wretchedness.
Outward Bluster
Outward bluster
Masking inner
Insecurity.
Self-loathing
Wrapped up in
Defiance.
Acting tough is
Easier than
Healing one’s pain.