Rules For Having Arguments

On 2016121320161213 By Beleaguered ServantIn Original PoemsLeave a comment

There are preconditions
Any one of whose omissions
Makes the whole thing rather moot
And also baneful time, to boot

For first, with any arguing
We must agree on one small thing,
Which is: the point is not to “win”
But end smarter than you begin

And also, to avoid a fight
To understand “appearing right”
Is less than actually being so
Appearances count, in fact, zero

Thirdly, we must at least try
To hear the other girl or guy
Not always thinking tact or text
Of that great thing that we’ll say next

So learning, not winning leads to light;
Being, not appearing, right;
Listening, and being blameless –
Then arguing is not so aimless

The Same Old Ground

On 2016020920160209 By Beleaguered ServantIn Original PoemsLeave a comment

For all we talk, we just go round and round;
We keep on covering the same old ground.
We keep on trying, since, well, we both care:
We try, but we’re not getting anywhere

The field is frozen over with our trashing –
The seasons we’ve spent arguing, rehashing –
The day is nearly spent, the light is gone –
But it’s the same old ground
We’re always
On