Foolish Pride
He folds his arms.
She seals her mind.
Their last contact
back-to-back.
Each sure the other
meant to wound,
pride seals their futures.
Sad ending remembered
for a lifetime.
For The Things Unsaid, 30 words or less
Painting by Ron Hicks
Little Jobs
Why is it that just as I find a time for resting,
I think of another job life seems to be requesting?
Little jobs pursue me, destroying all my fun.
Life comprises all of them until my day is done.
Dogged and determined, I fulfill all of them,
tolerating constant toil, my life filled to the brim.
I am a proper martyr. I toil with little resting.
I have no time for joyful acts like partying and festing.
Tasks that are debilitating to much lesser folks
are to superior ones like me, merely nature’s pokes
to spur me on towards greatness—to glory and to fame.
In the annals of history, you’re sure to see my name.
So thank God for little jobs, for they add up at last
into that great accomplishment within which fame is cast.
Prompt words today are debilitating, dogged, resting, comprise and tolerate. Image by Irena Carpaccio on Unsplash.
jdbphoto
Acclaim
Those who seek to elevate
their fame with words too profligate
often find that others balk
at such narcissistic talk.
One heard tooting his own horn
is often lonely and forlorn.
When it comes to charity,
many have reached parity
who do not need to try to flout it,
let alone to shout about it.
Others have performed great acts
without broadcasting the facts
of honors won or feats achieved,
and one who boasts is oft believed
to be exaggerating––or,
is simply thought to be a bore
So, even though you’re justly proud,
please don’t voice that fact out loud.
If your act is worth a plaudit,
best leave it to another to laud it!
The prompt word is elevate. (Rerun of a poem written three years ago.)
Proud Flesh
If pride cometh before a fall,
it’s best if we aren’t proud at all.
Without pride, we’ll scale the heights––
take all the medals, win all the fights.
Hubris seems to be passé–
a quality that ruins our day.
So lest you wish your luck to crumble,
best practice how to be more humble!
Proud flesh is an excessive growth of granulation tissue that has the appearance of cauliflower. It usually develops over an open wound, and most often occurs in areas of excessive tension and motion. The swollen flesh surrounding a healing wound.http://www.doctorramey.com/proud-flesh/
The Prompt: Pat on the Back–Tell someone you’re proud of just how proud you are.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 