Mountains and Valleys

This is a society of terror.

Everyone has a lawyer, a knife or a glock.

Hair trigger middle fingers and rights.

Nobody is wrong.

Democratic or totalitarian, the citizen is collateral damage.

Called 'friendly fire' when the Government does it

Terrorism if anyone else.

I climb the mountains of the working man's week,

Cresting Wednesday on a prayer.

Longing for the contented valley of the weekend

As I stagger down to Thursday,

Almost tasting Friday

Remembering Saturday's meadows

And hoping for Sunday's cool clear waters.

Without expectation I have no resentment.

Beneath your contempt I know your fear.

It is lonely in death

Knowing no life but for grasping.

Was it trillions you owed

Jean Val Jean still in jail

For a crust

And a child?

Where will you be

With the stem cells of abortus

Spare parts and botox?

When I hear an old love song

Played on a banjo

In the husks of a corn field,

As caribou paw in the snow to the north,

And crocuses awaken to promises of daffodils

Even you too are loved as we all are

How else could it be?

My enemy, my friend.