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Commentary
This poem took a dark turn when I rearranged lines in the third stanza. That’s when I changed the title from “Indifference” to its current title.
On a positive note…. One of my greatest frustrations in the months before I got cataract surgery was an inability to clearly see little flowers at my feet when I went for walks. Now, I can see them clearly. And I’m still undignified enough—and limber enough—to lie down on the ground for close-up photos of the little flowers. Better ON the ground than IN the ground. Better now than later.
A BONUS CONFESSION
Let’s be honest: for every single thing I notice and appreciate in God’s creation, there are trillions of other things I take for granted. I’m as guilty of indifference as anyone else. That’s being honest. But here’s a vile habit I have; perhaps you recognize it in yourself: I find one small instance of goodness in myself (e.g., appreciating small flowers) and then I look around to see how that instance is not widely shared or practiced by humanity. Why make the comparison? To elevate myself, of course!
That’s my confession. Do you forgive me?
SPEAKING OF PERVERSITY
I’m hyper aware of ambiguity. Sometimes that gets in the way of normal conversations. But it’s part of what I enjoy in writing poetry. Ambiguous words and phrases raise questions that nudge the brain off its timeworn trail.
Take, for instance, “they” in the last line of the second stanza. Does “they” refer to the people who do not appreciate the flowers, or to the flowers themselves? Which dies?