Screwtape Letters comes
to an unplanned, prolonged pause.
Was it the devil’s doing?
~
Tempting the saintly:
this surprise intermission
may lead some to the snack bar.
Screwtape Letters comes
to an unplanned, prolonged pause.
Was it the devil’s doing?
~
Tempting the saintly:
this surprise intermission
may lead some to the snack bar.
Must unexpected
contact always engender
caution, distrust, suspicion?
~
The way we react
to the unexpected, can
tell us much about ourselves.
He looks at the world
with soft eyes, a tender heart,
and an open mind.
~
And in so doing,
rent asunder the dark veil
revealing glimmers of hope.
That murder of crows
brawling at the pasture’s edge,
for what scraps are they scrapping?
~
It’s possible they
are mimicking us, hoping
we’ll catch on in time.
As they look forward,
I look back and see the ways
they, once so very shy, have grown
~
Grown in impatience
and weary condescension
evidenced by their groaning.
Let’s change our focus
from daily complaints
to what feeds our souls.
~
Compassionate acts,
performed without agenda;
truly a feast worth sharing.
Because lichen can thrive
in hostile environments
doesn’t mean everyone can.
~
Like us, lichens need
clean, fresh air to survive and
we’re threatening even that.
In this modern age,
it seems every call to arms
should foster skepticism.
~
Instead, in these times
it’s the call to have a heart
that evokes skepticism.
What happens when the White House
decides who can talk
and what they can say?
~
The message remains
consistent and the party
continues on unchanging.
Be on the look-out
for acts of kindness. They are
more numerous than we think.
~
More numerous, yes,
but lacking in the drama
to command the news cycle.
Why must parenting
require endless patience
or, at least, a tone deaf ear?
~
Why ask your mother?
Think back on your growing-up
years. Isn’t the answer clear?
Without ideas
or even a clue, he tweets
from his nonexistent heart.
~
A situation
far from ideal, this faithless,
heartless, witless, twit leader.
Sometimes life trumps art,
but more often art exceeds
life’s mundane limitations.
~
To live in a way
that transforms limitations
is itself fine art.
Sometimes we throw words
together in a hurry
and make lousy poems.
~
… and sometimes the words
can string themselves together
absent a coherent thought.
Aren’t we all guilty;
viewing Congress with contempt
and the Oval Office too?
~
Those institutions
are not the source of contempt,
but some occupants stoke it.
Petulant bullies;
are these fitting exemplars
of American statesmen?
~
Those who are skillful,
experienced, and wise are
few but represent us best.
The vultures left to
feed on other flesh, leaving
behind a rack of bare ribs.
~
Their feast concluded,
those insatiable vultures,
where shall they find their next meal?
Was it his last joke;
this mountain of documents,
some dating back sixty years?
~
Documented jokes
weigh survivors down, but when
laughter dies they’re still standing.
When tweeting and golf
take up so much time, how can
he be asked to govern too?
~
Maybe that’s why
his administration plays
so many strokes over par.
Has no one explained
he can’t balance the budget
just by imposing tariffs?
~
What if we imposed
a tariff on selective
ignorance and foolish deeds?
l
If, as they proclaim,
our system is so broken,
why don’t they just run amok?
~
Why not heed Pete’s call
for universal public
service and fix what’s broken.
Searching for acclaim,
he succeeded in making
a royal fool of himself.
~
“Everyone adores
my sartorial splendor!
I guarantee it!”
Some run for office
seeking glory and acclaim;
others, to be of service.
~
These competing goals
set the stage for all the acts
that will soon follow.
Top contenders for
the most erratic award –
Trump and the weather.
~
Heavy down-pouring
negative superlatives
flooding toward the nadir.
Can we not have youth
and wisdom concurrently?
Is there, in truth, no justice?
~
Alas, the harsh truth –
wisdom is seldom present
no matter the age.
We never really
know. One small step for you might
be a giant step for them.
~
To the crippled soul,
one small compassionate step
feels like a huge leap of faith.