Shifting Focus

[Mandy]

She whispers her last goodbye

to him as I type

Bible Belt America's poison of choice

claims another of it's brethren

and she was a copious savior

with forgiveness and phoenix like trust

and the time came when he really

needed the saving

his heart without movement for

ten whole minutes

while those in sickness with him

stood by

worried more about avoiding guilt

than the life

that slowly passed

at their feet



Because as much as his brain

has turned to liquid

so are the thoughts of those

ensnared by their shared disease



The world is full of wrongdoers

giving rise to fantasies of reparation and guilt

Apathy, an old pal, a foul-weather friend

and in the end only veiled anger

a passive indifference still wishing harm

but presents better than violent ferocity



Humanity can cause pain for care or foolishness

forgiveness should arrive in time for them

Those who sit like puppet masters

in a tragedy they construct

to feed the twistedness they so crave

and enraging me with the thought

of myself a puppet

feeling satisfied, for a time,

to strike with vehemency



But I won't

Because I choose to focus

on the forgiveness of the deserving

or those too weak to seek it for themselves

cultivating in myself the work

of love

against the work of vengeance

In this is simplicity

a mere choice to do or not to do

it is avoiding numbness

holding to passion

being the stoic

without lazy apathy

that I struggle most

[Mandy]

Thank you.

[mal]

A great piece, powerful , full of reflection, and a good read as well...