What Would You

 

What Would You

 

And what would you,

Traveler through the Mystery of Now?

Would you vilify a brother,

Because he does not see the color green?

Would you disavow a sister,

Because she does not like the taste of fish?

Have you not done this?

Have you not scorned a point of view?

Would you pass a dog,

Crying and starving, street-filthy?

Would you reach out a hand?

Or would you have better to do?

Would you tread on the lowly ant,

Carrying a crumb back to the hill?

Would you feel no guilt,

Because it was on “your” sidewalk?

Would you spray poisons,

That must leech into the soil,

Disturbing creatures unseen,

And thus of little note?

Will you burn more oil, gas, coal?

Will you fill the air with soot,

Seeing a dirty windshield a small inconvenience,

Easily cured with better chemicals.

Will you thoughtlessly blunder through,

Harming with a word, a gesture,

With small action for one person’s comfort?

Will you see warnings,

And ignore them,

Their inconvenience too immediate?

Is the Mystery of Tomorrow too dim?

Are your needs all that there is?

All that can be?

All that must be?

Who are you?

Compared to the All,

Who the fuck are you?

Tomorrow comes…

Have you made it better?

Or will you stand in amazement,

As it crashes down around you?

Will you be able to claim,

“I did my best.”?

Or will you cry with the multitude,

“Why me?”

 

What would you?

What would you?

What would you?

Well?

 

Cliff Lake 2/19/2023

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2023