Be kind

we are always asked 
to understand the other person's 
viewpoint 
no matter how 
out-dated 
foolish or 
obnoxious. 

one is asked 
to view 
their total error 
their life-waste 
with 
kindliness, 
especially if they are 
aged. 

but age is the total of 
our doing. 
they have aged 
badly 
because they have 
lived 
out of focus, 
they have refused to 
see. 

not their fault? 

whose fault? 
mine? 

I am asked to hide 
my viewpoint 
from them 
for fear of their 
fear. 

age is no crime 

but the shame 
of a deliberately 
wasted 
life 

among so many 
deliberately 
wasted 
lives 

is.

Charles Bukowski