THE PAIN OF POETRY

Photo by JR Korpa on Unsplash

TO PLEASE THE LIVING

WE BUILD MONUMENTS

TO HONOR THE DEAD

IN THE WAKE OF OUR MORTUARIES

WE CRY FOR PEACE

NO MORE VIOLENCE

PAIN

HORROR OR DEATH

YET WE CONTINUE

TO STRENGTHEN OUR ARMS

WE GO TO CHURCH

SO WE CAN LEARN

TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR

WE THEN GO HOME

AND LOCK AND BOLT

OUR DOORS AND WINDOWS

WE SIT IN REFLECTIVE SILENCE

AND LISTEN

TO THE SOUNDS OF OTHERS

WE MOCKINGLY CRITICIZE

THE HYPOCRITES

THEN GO TO WORK

AND TALK OF LUST

THE CUTE LITTLE SECRETARY

WITH A NICE BUST

WE COME HOME TO OUR SPOUSE

BRINGING GIFTS OF LOVE

SOMETIMES PEARLS

OUR INNER WORLD GROWS

WITH BOYS AND GIRLS

WE TELL THEM WHAT IS RIGHT