What is it you truly harbor

‘Neath the mortal forces driving

Through the layers of your psyche?

A pragmatic yen for peace

Among the brotherhood of Men

With their twisted endless conflict

Born of true self-righteous grievance,

Personal, or wars of nations?

Cheek to cheek with other persons

Without bicker or resentment

Of the way we build our habits,

Can we unreserved love?

In the trenches, in the clenches,

Don’t we all respond exactly

As all others in their psyches

Who perceive a wrong so grievous,

Unforgivable trespasses

Unredressed, imposed on others,

And convinced their right is holy,

Blinded, closed to other views,

They continue as they’re doing,

Forcing our aggrieved acceptance

Of their alien point of view?

When with sighs and deep remorse,

Responsible to right their wrongs,

We stop their bodies, kill them dead:

How different they from you or me?

                                                6/2/88