Inspired by Rudyard Kipling's 1910 poem, "If."

————

If you would take the time to look around you

while keeping due regard for who you are,

you might find many people who astound you,

including some who seem a bit bizarre.

Though accolades and glory never crowned you,

your aspirations often reached quite far;

attempt to let good hopes and dreams surround you—

we all have some small touch of superstar.

In overlooking others who confound us,

we keep ourselves apart—too long, too far.

Instead of wond’ring how they might astound us

and seeking light from their celestial star,

we find that every difference has unbound us:

instead of loving, we insert what’s noir

between ourselves and those who might have found us.

We share a loss—not learning who “we” are.

By Ken Gosse

From: United States

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/ken.gosse/