by Gabriella Duncan
I am
The keeper
Of my integrity
Though tarnished
And worn and
Lessons learned
Later than most,
Systemic sickness
Reached my vibration
But not my consciousness,
So I sit,
As I watch
Some will
Build empathy
Castles within,
And some
Embrace
Themselves,
As they are
While others
Ostracize
Outrageous
Behavior
Some will
Exercise their
Right to embrace
Themselves
As creatives
I am she
Who is
Curb sitter
Where all can
Be seen as
The young
Ones who
Move about
On foot early
To discover
Life and the
First to lose
The lens of
Indifference
Yet they are
Unaccepted
In an ever
Inconsistent
World while
Desiring love
Wildly, wholly
A life of open
Arms of acceptance
They gifted me
Teachings for
My understanding
And honor them
Many others
With much more
Have been so
Unaware of
Themselves,
Living someone
Else’s plan for
Them, these
Are also my
Teachers
I was born
With a set
Of scales
As my guide
Not to judge
But to assess
Truths and sort
Out the lessons
Not only for
Myself but my
Very vast
Cohabitants of
Mother Earth
For the faster
We attain honestly
The less we struggle
The lies others
Tell themselves
While speaking
Sideways with
A smile
Becomes
A bad habit
Leading to
Dishonesty,
Greed,
Corruption,
Are the first
Thing to ‘see’
Not just
The wealthy,
But sometimes
Even those
Who extend
A hand in
The name of
Human dignity,
Making the
Compromised
Full of fear and
Mistrust when
It’s needed the
Most as the sins
Of all generations
Become nothing
More than
Gridlocked
Pointing
Fingers…
Gabriella Duncan is South Seattle-based poet, writer, and comedian.
Featured image is in the public domain.