an ode to my bitter stranger
I would like more compassion spread from stranger to stranger.
I would like for people to see others not as issues, or problems, or as obstacles
but as feeling, breathing, singing, dancing, crying, laughing humans
whose lives are hard. whose sons are sick,
whose daughters are struggling,
whose husbands are emotionally closed-off
whose wives are trying so hard to get by,
whose parents are dying,
whose siblings are distraught and lost.
I take my bad phone call, my difficult communication,
my sorrowful reaction, my bitter communicator
and I wish you well: nice things, pleasant thoughts.
because I'm sad that you were rude & inappropriate to me
but I'm more sad about whatever awful thing has happened to you
my fellow, my pal, my stranger, my two-minute acquaintance,
to break your heart
and hurt your soul
and cause you to be cruel.
I would like for people to see others not as issues, or problems, or as obstacles
but as feeling, breathing, singing, dancing, crying, laughing humans
whose lives are hard. whose sons are sick,
whose daughters are struggling,
whose husbands are emotionally closed-off
whose wives are trying so hard to get by,
whose parents are dying,
whose siblings are distraught and lost.
I take my bad phone call, my difficult communication,
my sorrowful reaction, my bitter communicator
and I wish you well: nice things, pleasant thoughts.
because I'm sad that you were rude & inappropriate to me
but I'm more sad about whatever awful thing has happened to you
my fellow, my pal, my stranger, my two-minute acquaintance,
to break your heart
and hurt your soul
and cause you to be cruel.