i love wildly
and mildly.
my hates both
just and not.
these passions,
the tiger
i ride tests
principle and
peace.

#poem #poetry

I value having a cool head. I really do. I want wisdom and reason to prevail. But, Lord, I’ll tell you, I’m feeling hotheaded today. I’m hot under the collar and itching for action. I’m chaffing at the evil that’s happening right before our eyes.

I’m frustrated by the pundits and think tanks talking calmly about the erosion of our democracy and making distinctions between fascism and competitive authoritarianism. Today, right now, those reasoned commentaries and thoughtful discussions feel like lies.

Lies about the five-alarm fire before us. Talk when we need action.

I need to take some calming breaths.

I have two quotes circling around in my mind as I suffer over the deterioration of conditions in the United States. This captures pretty well our current state of affairs:

“When a clown enters the palace, the clown doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.”

– author unknown

If only the circus weren’t so damn dangerous.

I take comfort, however, when I think about this:

“Sometimes I go about in pity for myself, and all the while, a great wind carries me across the sky.”

– Ojibwe tradition

I think the only way I’m going to make it through this is to hold onto both perspectives and act accordingly.