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…<\/p>\n
Surrounded<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The courier had arrived 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 … Continue reading
\nHaving passed
\nThrough the lines
\nDefining friend and faux
\nAs it is written
\nIt is unread
\nA message
\nDelivered
\nIn presence outranked
\nStanding at a tension
\nOr be killed
\nBye that
\nWhich lies within
\nAnnouncing in secret
\nI have good news
\nI have bad news
\nWhich would you like
\nTo be first
\nGive me
\nThe bad news
\n\u201cWe are surrounded\u201d
\nAs O my God
\nFills the room with wonder
\nAt what might
\nThe good news be
\nOnly too here
\nWe can tack on any affront
\nDe-spite the accost
\nTo love won
\nAn other<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"