7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7:1-3 King James Version (KJV)

People in 12-step recovery refer to personality flaws as “character defects.” Character defects are similar to the Judeo/Christian concept of sin in that they act as barriers between us and the Divine. They also tend to separate us from other human beings. Morever, they separate us from ourselves and keep us from becoming the best that we can be.

My biggest character defect is judgement. My Judge-O-Meter runs constantly and no one, especially myself, is exempt. This criticism often comes in the guise of “shoulds.” I should have…

*****

little blades of grass
can turn sunshine
straight into food

no planting
no weeding
no harvesting
no storing
no killing

sure wish i could do that

king penguins
survive
for six months
of every year
in subzero temperatures
without nourishment
balancing one precious egg
on their feet

how?

that little shrimp over there?
sees in thirteen
primary
colors

this whale
has memorized
the sung history
of its species

and that tree?
just look at it
standing seventy five feet tall
without a wobble…

if somebody around here
really has given
myself and my kind
dominion

well first i think

i’d better
learn
a little respect

*****
The poet/editor of this website is physically disabled, lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level, and is presently homeless. Contributions may be made at:https://www.gofundme.com/are-you-a-patron-of-the-arts