stop the trying, be
rope to tree—bound
            and anchored, or swinging
free                   abandon

this rush, the usual
confused, off-balance
   wanting—loss burdens
until you give way

the sister pleading
with her brother’s captors, begging
for his life, “he is kind, 
i’m sure you can see
              his kindness.”
and the cruel ones:

are they both tormented
equally
by the same or different
wantings?

why not empty your hands
    now—before
they are scattered—
            what we hold
the fingers holding?

greedy for wisdom
greedy for gold
               our two hands
twin sisters, blind
           condemned

to wandering
our two hands whispering:
     can’t we all
      come finally to rest

by giving
            ourselves
to simple kindness?
            1/26/2005-11/25/2023