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.