A dissection of the Buddhist and Christian practices of nonjudgment.

*****

Recorded Reading (2:54): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/pbrnr9bslmr2hfc7i4i5v/I-Might-Be.mp3?rlkey=cymszaaxygqg7tsztexb6yofv&dl=0

*****

I Might Be…

Live in a state of suspension of judgment ~
Analyse, wonder, conjecture, suppose,
But make not the error because of your insight
Of seeing yourself as somebody who knows

By all means, set healthy and definite bound’ries
Tell ’em do that there — not okay over here
A working hypothesis generate, surely ~
Keep your priorities pristinely clear

Tell ’em you need some time out for a minute
A week or a month or a lifetime, that’s cool,
But draw the line short of gratuitous insult
Don’t call ’em a monster or even a fool

If you feel like fighting, fight for something good
Antagonization of evil’s a dud
You have no idea of its motivation
Perhaps in that same situation you would

Have made your decisions in much the same fashion
All freaked out and panicked, your back to the wall ~
If somebody hurts you each day before breakfast
You won’t have much patience with people at all

If somebody says you must pay this damn fine
Costs half a whole month of your labor to meet
And you know if you don’t find some way to do it
You’ll end up in jail, and your kids on the street

If someone you fear all the way to your marrow
Somebody you think can find you anywhere
Tells you walk that sidewalk and bring back some money
You might just discover yourself walking there

Fight the oppression and not the oppressor
Lift the low up, let the high go their way
Perhaps this or that one gave a million dollars
To feed little kids with no mothers today

Perhaps to inhabit their rarefied world
The price which there from them demanded has been
In soul killing compromise, social exaction
And grief, equals anything we’ve ever seen

We don’t know, and we’ve set things up around here
By common agreement, though illogic’ly,
So cannot politely reach out to each other
Our inner frustrations let our brothers see

That being the case, let us temper our judgment
With mercy in every case can make it so,
Meeting the eyes of our brothers and sisters
On unrecognizable pathways who go

To the same destination, alongside our own ~
Remember the words of the gracious old song:
“I never would want to judge nobody
Because I might be — wrong”

*****

This poet presently lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level.

Arts patrons may visit http://www.UgiftABLE.com , using code #72D-31S, or choose to donate by personal check. It will take about two weeks for the poet to be notified of your patronage.

Thank you for supporting quality in the fine arts