you stomp out the door
and go about your way,
huffily thinking, the world has not been kind to you today



though you would resent me if I said it,
                                                             ­ the world has been kinder to you than most
you have people in your life that love you,
a place to keep the butter for your toast

but perspective seems to be one of those things
that people who would think themselves wise
speak of loftily

"stop telling me about the kids in China,
let’s bring the focus back to me"


you’ve got so much
and I do too,

so calm back down,
and think it through

though it seems so big right now,
it’s just a little blip

a stain on your reel of memory,
a scene you’d rather skip

you face a choice now,
a decision that is critical in the end

will you let the poison leave your mind
or keep it as a friend