so I thought it would be

a good idea

to elevate myself--

so I did nothing--

and once I stopped trying

to commandeer the universe

for my petty purposes

I suddenly felt weightless--

as if I could rise above

the harried loves

of confused people trying

to redeem their crippling mistakes

for each other--

as if the contention that grew out of that

could be prevented

from poisoning the daily chucklefuck

we call the work-a-day world

and cleanse it to some sheen of nobility--

as if this would somehow filter upward

and change the minds of bitter bureaucrats

who sacrificed their lives for an empty dream

of delayed gratification--

as if this would move the (what? hearts?)

of the masters of the world who rule everything

into ruin and make them recall whatever hurt launched them

on their mendacious career and transcend it--

as if there was a God of Mercy who'd finally show pity

and say "all right--that's enough now!"

as if I could elevate myself out

of doing nothing and feel the weight

of my resigned aspiration--

which I do--which I did when I came to

and came back down

Content (c) 2008-2011 Philip Milito.