Teach Me

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It’s so hard for me to learn
Because I am so arrogant
My gifts come with such a price

I said to my plants
As I prune the dead leaves
"teach me"

I have to learn to cut them
Cut off their life
Hem them in

Right now
They are all over grown
Wild
Turning in on themselves
Crumpled sideways
Pressing against the ceiling

Wasting their energy
And going nowhere

How do I know where to trim
And when?

I know this.
Just do it.

I know.

I was talking with a man tonight
Who trembled
Said
Over and over
How conservative he is

"Conservatives"
I said
"would be much more interesting to me
If they were actually concerned with conservation"

But it’s just fear
So obvious to me
My father
This man
All I’ve known and met
They are living in terror
Want everyone else to be as afraid
More afraid than they are

Expect every trick to be a psychopathic killer
Everyone to be a liar

I’m too arrogant to even consider it
As I diatribe to him
The great difficulties of Freedom
That keeps most Americans from it
Is Self Responsibility
Honesty
Of course
Integrity

Lacking those
You must be under another’s jurisdiction
Oh, if only they were perfect…

But I like the dirt in my window sills
The wild curling of my plants
I’m chomping at the bit to begin my life
Stomping in the stable

What power
Balance of freedom, strength and fear
How do I move the hand deftly for that?
How do I
Cut my hair
And still be wild?

( sssssssh… Just trimmings…. ssssssssh… )

-iP