This poem is inspired by an old joke: The courier arrives with a message for the commander. The courier says, “I have good news and bad news; which would you like first?” The commander says, “Give me the bad news first.” The courier responds, “We are surrounded by enemy forces.” Then, the commander says, “So, what’s the good news?” To which the messenger says, “We can attack on any front.” I like this joke because it acknowledges the common feelings of being under attack, which can lure us into responding as less than our best selves. Yet, the messenger presents this awe-to-common experience as an ample opportunity to choose our tack in life, hopefully better re-presenting our higher selves…
Surrounded
The courier had arrived
Having passed
Through the lines
Defining friend and faux
As it is written
It is unread
A message
Delivered
In presence outranked
Standing at a tension
Or be killed
Bye that
Which lies within
Announcing in secret
I have good news
I have bad news
Which would you like
To be first
Give me
The bad news
“We are surrounded”
As O my God
Fills the room with wonder
At what might
The good news be
Only too here
We can tack on any affront
De-spite the accost
To love won
An other
