“A warrior is never under siege. To be under siege implies that one has personal possessions that could be blockaded. A warrior has nothing in the world except his impeccability, and impeccability cannot be threatened.” ~Don Juan
The Old Child
(based on a true story)
The other day at City Hall
While I sat and did write
Beside me I heard an old man
Complain and bitch and fight
He spoke on his cell phone to someone
That had let him down
He berated and badmouthed them
While wearing quite a frown
After several minutes he
Then made another call
This person too was on the end
Of his frustrated brawl
He talked of self-importance and
How he won’t stand for it
And swore a blue streak while he threw
A little child’s fit
And just as he finished his call
A young man sauntered by
And asked him for a smoke because
His carton had run dry
This old man man scoffed and said “No way
Why don’t you get a job?”
A dirty look of disgust was
What he then chose to lob
The young man then moved on to me
And made the same request
I made an effort to be nice
And smile as I confessed
“I don’t smoke” and he smiled back
But after a few feet
He turned around and walked back to
The first man he did greet
“You do not have to be so rude”
The young man said to old
“Go to hell!” the old man said
And other words did scold
The young man took another step
Said “Got a problem, pal?”
Suddenly the old man had
Not quite as much morale
“No,” he said and waved him off
And young man walked away
Old man then turned to face me
Expecting me to say
“What a jerk” or “little punk”
But instead I asked him
“What’s the greatest purpose in
Your life?” which made him grim
He got upset just as he had
With two calls and the smoker
He called me way too deep and some
Brainwashed pathetic joker
I calmly said “That’s the problem
You don’t think deep enough
You’re more concerned with shallow thoughts
Like acting big and tough”
I watched calmly as ego writhed
And spat and flailed away
Feeling as if under fire
With venom to spray
I told him “When I’m gone and you
Have no need to posture
When ego is alone you’ll hear
Your own truth and be sure
That serving others is what we
Are placed here to achieve
The ones who serve only themselves
Are those who always grieve”
He blew things out of proportion
And missed many a notion
“What am I supposed to do?”
He said with great commotion
“I don’t have any smokes so what
Do you want me to do?”
I said “Just ‘cause you can’t oblige
Does not mean you must spew
Anger, hatred, disrespect
And treat people so poor”
Then I mentioned his two calls
Which made him insecure
He got up in a huff and said
He’d had enough of me
I told him that he was still young
But one day he would see
He laughed and said he was older
Than me but I inquired:
“Does age to you only mean how
Many years have expired?
Or does it mean how much you’ve learned
How much grace you’ve amassed
Or is it just how many days
Of breathing that have passed?”
Once again his ego screamed
And said “If you’re so nice
Why don’t you go give that stupid
Bum your Mac device?”
“You’ve missed the point” I said again
“He didn’t ask for it
He asked me for a smoke and then
He smiled with no fit
For you he turned around and wanted
To engage in war
And you backed down ‘cause of the two
It seems that you had more
To lose, and that’s the root of why
You’re always so upset
You cause your own frustration when
You want but you don’t get
You don’t accept what is, instead
You swear and point a finger
Never realizing how
Your hateful words do linger”
There’s only so much truth that an
Old child can hear at once
He gathered all his things and stood
While calling me a dunce
I noted that he once again
Was seeking comfort ‘cause
He didn’t find it comfortable
To have his brain abuzz
All he wanted from me was
A nod in agreement
But warriors do not pander
To those who rant and vent
And I imagine once that old
Child has cooled his mind
Let go of his anger and
Looked within he will find
That he’s in fact the cause of all
His unrest and turmoil
There’s only one person to blame
Just one that is his foil
I saw a light bulb moment when
I told him that old truth
For just one second he did not
Look so much like a youth
And that’s because no matter how
Upset we may all get
The truth deep down inside of us
Illuminates our fret
He walked away while mumbling
With much to think about
Deep thoughts which will cast his selfish
Way of life in doubt
That wisdom has little to do
With years or centuries
Some are youthful wise old souls
And some, just old babies
~Miro
