I never bribed a judge;
I never killed a bird,
yet I have broken promises
and shot a poison word.
I never robbed a bank;
I never beat a kid,
yet I have stolen joie de vivre
and trampled where it hid.
Without an inner guide
to curb the karmic debt,
an overblown “I never would”
becomes an “I regret.”
———
2011 Mary Boren
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My modus operandi’s been misplaced.
Too often, guided by a flapping tongue
and jerking knee, I’ve captured barbs and flung
them carelessly about. Then, as I faced
my own reflection—sheepishly retraced
those clumsy steps—I’ve noticed how they stung.
Time truly crawls when Ego squirms. I’ve hung
my head in shame for words I spoke in haste.
So, Father, give me nothing that I ask
today, except perhaps some balm to soothe
a ruffled spouse or friend or fellow poet.
Please tilt the mirror sideways to unmask
the hidden part you see … and should it prove
to make me humble, Lord, don’t let me know it.
———
2002 Mary Boren
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