I see him struggling
But it’s too late,
The poison has already
Worked its way in
Deep inside,
Immune to reason.
One person’s other
Is another human being’s
Mother, father
Working long hours
At the distribution
Center, hoping to
Get ahead, rent a
Larger apartment,
Feed the family while
Putting away a few
Dollars here and there
To send the kids to
College, the realization
Of a dream, a generation
Not toiling in sweatshops
Being shouted at by
Those who think they’re
Inferior in some way.
I’m not sure
If you’ve heard,
But everyone around
You has a different
Opinion of you than
You have of yourself.
Perhaps I’m stating
The obvious, but I
Wonder whether you
Might not realize
You have offended
Everyone, repeatedly.
In some small way
I wonder what it’s
Like to walk around
Oblivious to the pain
One is causing others,
Without a moment’s remorse.
Things never turn out well
When people put their
Hopes and dreams in
Violence, hardness,
False bravado,
Trying to project strength
Where only fear resides.
There are so many other paths
Leading to far more
Beautiful destinations
Than dread,
Places where love is the norm.
Sitting by himself,
Hoping someone will
Stop by,
Ask how he’s doing.
Nobody does,
They never do,
Maintenance of
Flimsy normalcy
Being much more comfortable
Than reaching out.
They go about their business.
Unfeeling,
Although they writhe
And contort at his feet,
Gasping for air,
Struggling to live
Despite circumstance.
He never did care for
Much more than himself,
His history etched into
Him, inky darkness
Unlit by empathy or
The simplest kindness.
He has a deep, unwavering
Belief that the world is
A scary place where we all
Have to compete against
Each other, a notion
Stemming from his urgent
Need for power, that someone
Has to win, that there is
Always a group that is
Dominant over another.
When confronted with
Complex, frightening,
Existential questions,
His aggression surfaces,
Ambiguity being an undesirable
Interloper suggesting that
Something has to change
Though the old ways of
Doing things are so
Much more comforting.
Upon assuming a position
Of influence, he toils
Frantically to impose
Severe rules to control
His perceived subjects,
Demanding strict adherence to
His supreme authority,
Beginning his march toward
Obedience and conformity,
Restoring the status quo.
Extreme myopia,
A near-pathological
Inability to see,
Let alone understand,
Anyone else’s plight,
A dark tunnel excavated
From his own pain.
Lacking self-awareness,
He assumes that
Everyone else’s struggle
Is exactly like his,
That the same variables
Line up exactly
The same way.
Left in his wake,
A swath of agony,
Contorted beings
Crying out for help
That will never come,
The casualties of
Detached indifference.
Questions asked
By people certain
That something is wrong,
Unwilling to acknowledge
Predicaments resulting from a
Lack of comprehension.
All they need to
Remedy the situation
Is an openness to
Additional information yet
They’ll likely never
Alter their approach,
It being much easier to
Assert confidence rather
Than admit ignorance.
