Close your mind and go to sleep.
Don’t let pesky knowledge interfere with
Hard-fought obstinacy and practiced
Fact resistance. Cherish the slumber of
Those who sleep awake.
So close to the
Problem at hand,
Failing to see any
Simpler solution,
Though many exist.
Compulsive obsession,
Absolute focus on
Undesirable options,
Unknowingly banishing
Common sense.
A moment of clarity,
Scenario viewed
From a different angle,
Yielding far better
Results, tranquility.
Unforgiving,
Unbendable inflexibility,
Aggressive, hardened stance.
Lack of nurture,
Scarcity of empathy,
Shrinking kindness,
Clenched fist of authority,
Enforcing rules,
Unprepared.
Defining oneself by
A mistake,
Interminable penance,
Reliving a moment
Over and over.
The understanding
That we can change,
Evolve,
Heal and rectify
Missteps from the past.
Moving forward
Openly,
Consciously,
The majesty of
Change.
Looking at how
He treated her,
A stark epiphany:
He never respected her.
Something so elemental,
Taken for granted,
Love, professed but
Not demonstrated.
It all becomes clearer.
He’s a family man,
Working hard to provide
For his beloved wife and
Children, getting up each
Morning hoping this will
Be the day that his boss
Stops shouting at him or
Making wisecracks at his
Expense, or cutting his hours.
During the meager standing-up
Break that passes for lunch
At his workplace,
He overhears someone talking
About social justice,
Which makes his blood boil.
I fight for what’s mine,
I don’t rely on anybody else,
Hard work leads to success.
Lost in the outburst are
The many hours he’s
Worked off the clock,
The complete lack of flexibility
And benefits, the absence of
Opportunities to move up,
But none of that matters,
He fights for his earnest
Misapprehension of reality.
All these years
Thinking things were
A certain way,
Only to find that
He was completely mistaken.
Novel insights
Brought about by years of
Self-examination,
Concerted shift in
Thinking over time.
Swirling feelings of
Loss and anger,
Relief and hope,
New opportunities unhampered
By obsolete patterns.
Tell me your secrets and
I’ll show you mine,
I keep them in a
Nondescript box
Hidden in the attic.
Hold me on your shoulders,
Maybe that way I’ll grow
Taller than I think I am.
Lift me higher than possible and
Let go as I take flight.
The winter birds arrive
After their long journey,
Enjoying a well-deserved rest,
Having a snack,
Taking a tour of the garden to
Remember its contours.
Happy to see them,
We’re reminded of time.
