When one finds oneself

lost at sea without a chart,

who’s to blame except oneself?

~

There’s always someone

else to blame – just ask our new

president. It’s Obama’s fault.

Shouldn’t we pause to

celebrate the many small

acts of kindness done each day?

~

Kindness isn’t cause

for joyous celebration.

It is a more simple joy.

When plans go awry,

and we scramble to regroup,

must we trooper through and why?

~

Sometimes what we do

next is even better than

our initial plan.

When I’m sure I’m right,

how can I avoid a fight

when they are so clearly wrong?

~

Sometime you must fight

your impulse to prove them wrong,

especially when you’re right.

How can we keep cool

when the noise drives us to blow,

leaving us to look the fool?

~

Grace under pressure

is no easy feat. Mindful

practice helps us lose our heat.

Enemies unite

when faced with a common foe.

Gravestones righted; bigots fall.

~

Humanity shared

rights wrongs perpetuated

by all bigots everywhere.

How does a nation,

cowering behind its walls,

differ from a prisoner?

~

Such a nation is

truly a prisoner of

its own making.

Do walls keep all that’s

new out so that the old can

pretend nothing’s changed?

~

They build parapets

so they can deny their fear

of open societies.

If he’s too afraid

to buy a cup of coffee,

how’s this the land of the free?

~

We must not forget

our immigrant ancestors

came here to thrive and be free.

When governing proves

hard, is turning to twitter

and golf the best he can do?

~

He’ll just double down,

like he has so many times.

Time to call his bluff.

What can parents do

when children don’t do homework

and teachers begin to gripe?

~

I guess you begin

with who’s the grown-up in the

room and go from there.

Leap before you look

seems to be our president’s

momentous reframe.

~

Why should he bother;

with his golden parachute

and silver boot in his mouth?

When the strikers struck

and no one seemed to notice,

what will be freedom’s next move?

~

We must wait and see.

Freedom’s work is incomplete

but its workers do not rest.

When improvements don’t

improve and enhancements don’t

enhance, what are we up to?

~

Perhaps replacements

will replace when enticements

fail to entice change agents.

Ignorant actors

fumble across the world stage

resembling circus clowns…

~

On our own small stage

may we perform wise acts of

kindness, reason, and constraint.

In difficult times,

how is it that some folks

are still able to find joy?

~

Schadenfreude works

but at a steep moral price;

better to seek other ways.

On this day of love,

Can we hope to find some peace

from this angry vitriol?

~

We must not only

hope, we must do all we can

to bring peace into being.

Can we find peaceful

solutions when our hearts

and minds are at war?

~

If we drop our guard

in the face of tyranny 

we’ll find the peace of the grave.

Comet and eclipse:

are these dire auguries

inscribed upon the heavens?

~

We read into things

heavenly what often lies

within our own souls.

What is this hot air

that blows across our nation,

stifling our every breath?

~

Perhaps it’s because

Presidential odium

is causing global warming.

“Separate but Equal”,

more than just a catchy phrase;

how could they have forgotten?

~

The problem is those

who push that phrase have never

forgotten their ill intent.

Is what we’re seeing

civilization’s fall or

the privileged’s last gasp?

~

Privilege may survive

when the revolution comes,

but many will surely fall.

When a liar says

the media lies instead,

will fools trust their hearts or heads?

~

Fools trust neither hearts

nor heads. They place their trust in

those who lie instead.

What helps us see the

common humanity of

those with whom we disagree?

~

It’s easy to see

another’s humanity

if we share reality.

Why should we truckle

before the irrational

bluster of a narcissist?

~

It would be best to

 stand by our deep values and

keep an open heart. 

Sometimes “Follow the

Leader” can take a nation

right over the cliff.

~

Following leaders

will never lead you astray;

just don’t follow this lemming.