Near

And love

Says,

"I will, I will take care of you,"

To everything that is

Near.

                                             (Hafiz)

________________________________

I am smothered at times

By all the ills of the world

By the greedy ones grasping

The hurting ones lashing out

The angry ones shooting

The hungry ones devouring all in sight

It is tempting to push away

All the is abrasive and angry

To step away from the dis-ease

To seek a calm distance

Peace

and yet I am commanded to love

to love the angry classmate from HS who worships Trump

To love the one who will not change

To love the one who has failed, time and time and time again

To love the one who has hurt me

or rejected me

and one cannot love at a distance