Once there was an end of the war in sight,
they built their John Steinbeck ship,
hoisted the Ayn Rand flag
and sailed to the promised land.

Upon the dulcet shore, there she was,
their old enemy, cinnamon arms wide open in welcome.

Blood and spit foaming at the corners of her mouth,
she said,
kindness isn't a two-way street.

An apple in a pinch
Waterfalls called out for toddlers, Father's
Sports fanatic sweater wearers week.
***** by Saturday,
By the phone in Vermont but from India
Inside of six days: Seven, holidays, prey animals;

No one even pretends to sleep anymore
Anywhere words and eye fluttering can be had.
No caves to scribble with history, all purchase
Buying-Power inscribed.

Just a brief day, sixteen hours or less
Maybe two midnights more.

I've succumbed
To The Golden Rule,
I'll do to me
What I do unto you.

If I'm the cause
Of sorrow and tears,
Know you I've lodged
The same for years.

Should I be
The source of mirth,
Make you laugh,
Relieve the dirth,
Know that I too
***** this earth.

When I'm criticial
Of your best efforts,
You fall short
Of what's expected,
I'll look inside,
To see what I could be.

Though I'm annoyed
With your flip-flopping,
I know I've been known
To be the one that waffles.

Now comes the part
That deals with heart.
God forbid
I break yours in two,
But know you that
Mine breaks too.

When your days take hold,
When you grey and grow old,
I'll tend your needs,
Do what I please.

And when our lives
Stop being our light,
And dark prevails,
And day is night,
And we've departed
This corporeal cesspool,
I'll know I succumbed
To *The Golden Rule.

there’s someone in the shadows
I don’t know his name
I don’t know his face
I know his strengths
I know his bravery
I know his unselfishness
he hides the horror
he calms my fears
I smile ... I sing … I game ..
while he fights for me
he takes care of me
he gives up everything for me
he doesn’t sleep
he crawls in darkness
he suffers
he dies !
he is alone ....
he can’t have a family
pain, fear, absence,
he can’t
he does it for me
je does it for love
to allow me to be happy
to make me feel safe
He doesn’t know my name
He doesn’t know my face
but he takes care of me
... I know you
I know who you are....
... just a hero
my hero

Try not to think more of yourself than others.
Try not to think less of yourself than others.
Don't think less of yourself more,
But more of yourself less.
Sometimes, think less of others more,
And you won't think less of yourself.
But do so with charity and courtesy,
Lest we forget.

You've seen a mother
Nursing a child,
Giving freely
Of herself.
So altruistic,
She finds maternal pleasure
Through nurturing.

My close friend
Gave his son a kidney.
His very own *****,
Putting himself in jeopardy
For his son's prosperity.
The pleasure of altruism
Wasn't lost on me.

Have you seen the picture
Of the man on the cross.
He wears a smile
Behind his blood mask.
He found pleasure
In offering salvation.
No greater gift,
Can be bestowed
From man, woman or god,
Than the innate pleasures
Of self-sacrifice.