If this is America,
All
I’ve been taught,
As
a student in school
Or
in life, adds to naught.
If
this is America,
Fairness
and truth
Are
mere follies we bandy
About
in our youth.
If
this is America,
Bullies
may rule,
With
justice expected
By
only a fool.
If
this is America,
Decency’s
out,
For
power and flattery’s
What
it’s about.
If
this is America,
So
much is wrong
That
all I can think is
That
I don’t belong.
On my phone came a reminder
That today’s Election Day,
With a list of things to do to keep
Anxiety at bay.
See some art at a museum,
Find a park to soothe your soul,
Have a meal at some new restaurant -
Diversion is the goal.
Go to church if that’s your calling;
Do some shopping if it’s not.
Read a book or try some exercise -
They both can help a lot.
At the bottom of the message,
Which reminded me to vote,
After all of the suggestions
Came a most surprising note:
“If you’re feeling suicidal,
Here’s a number you can call.”
When I think of this election,
That reminder says it all.
Behind a fence were piles of leaves
The
trees had lately shed
And
as I passed, my eye picked up
A
flash of something red.
I
stopped and looked and out it popped,
An
unexpected sight –
A
cardinal, enrobed in red,
Which
filled me with delight.
I
don’t believe, as many do,
This
sighting signified
A
visit from the dead or that
Good
luck was thus implied.
I
rarely see this bird, though,
Yet
my morning did begin
With
a cardinal encounter
Nowhere
near the Vatican.
Before the marathon began,
I
walked First Avenue,
Aware
100,000 feet
Would
soon come pounding through.
The
do-not-cross tape waited
And
the police were getting set
To
control the hordes of cheering fans
Who
hadn’t gathered yet.
Since
some apartments face the street,
Their
balconies supply
A
place for friends to stand and shout
As
runners hurry by.
From
one such place, I saw a sign
To
jokingly remind
A
guy named Ralph, despite his plans,
He’s
lumbering behind.
I
wish I could have witnessed Ralph
As,
passing, he took note,
Of
the presence of his buddies
And
the message that they wrote.
(The
title is what the sign actually said.)
You look at things differently when you are old
And
should do things when you have the chance,
For
maybe you won’t get to act on the plans
You
have made way too far in advance.
Surely
some opportunities won’t come again;
You
must grab them, no matter the cost,
Or
you’ll wake up one day and you’ll realize, too late,
That
the moments you’ve craved have been lost.
Time
is fleeting and more so as decades add up
And
the years you have left start to fade.
Every
chance that you miss offers no second shots;
Possibilities
can’t be delayed.
The biggest surprise in the suburbs,
Where I helped out on Halloween night,
Wasn’t focused on candy or costumes,
But the kids, who were just so polite!
Whether solo or part of a gaggle,
Dressed as witches or pirates or queens,
They approached in a calm, measured manner,
While their parents looked on, dressed in jeans.
“Trick or treat!” they exclaimed, sporting smiles,
As I offered the candy-filled bowl.
When I told them, “Take two,” they said “Thank you!”
As if being polite was the goal.
No one pushed or took more than was offered;
All were patient and many did shout,
“Have a great Halloween!” as they parted,
Not a one with a sneer or a pout.
It was wonderful watching this happen -
Just a night filled with nothing but fun.
The true magic will be if politeness
Stays alive when their childhoods are done.
