poem

To All My Valentines – A Love Poem


I wrote and recorded this all in one go in the middle of the night in March 2021. I thought I might edit it, but I didn’t. I thought I might make another, more improved audio recording, but I didn’t. I thought I might edit the original recording, but I didn’t do that either. I just kept the original for what it was. I decided that this love poem didn’t want to be “better” than what it was. Maybe that was part of the point.

I thought I might attempt to send it to a journal, but I couldn’t find a place that would accept the format I wanted, which is audio-only. I also wasn’t sure that the poem would fly “professionally” anyway, in its uncut state. So I decided to deliver it here for this day, to all dear Valentines who stop by. We’ve nearly forgotten that a poem makes a good gift, after all. I should have done this last year. It’s late this year, and I had a long day at work so am posting it late, but I didn’t forget.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Advice for a Power of One, Unclaimed

UNSOLICITED
UNAPOLOGETIC
PLEASANTLY DIDACTIC
SO FUCKING TRUE

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Judgment originates in the self.

If the group comes first, the self has final say.

Judgment is less intelligent than fresh observation.

Judgment is dysfuntional tradition.

Judgment is pretention.

Judgment brings justice sometimes. But not peace.

Judgment brings injustice too.

__

Judgment is natural; it feels like survival.

Judgment feels relevant and righteous.

Side effects could bring a sickening feeling.

When encountering judgment, try to be patient.

__


Judgment isn’t the same as discernment.

A common mistake, to confuse them.

But discernment too is troubled.

And if we are honest,

Troubling.

__

Somehow, we already know everything.

In the wiser lessons of history, philosophy.

Science, poetry, psychology.

Perhaps we still long for different answers.

It’s strange but doubt yourself first, to be great.

Observe the thought first, to think.

Assumptions without inquiry proliferate quickly.

A false foundation that frees no truth.

To seek confirmation, in reflection: caution.

Trouble brews in demands to be echoed.

It’s strange, but doubt convention.

It’s not always flattering.

We choose the opposing action.

Truth beyond self, beyond judgment is too tiring.

Hard-won ideologies hardened our hearts.

__

Experience offers a speck of “understanding.”

But experience too is misleading.

A wise idea says, do not reject the self, to please.

But perhaps the wiser: remember

Self is not so distant

From others.

Others have judged you too.

Others judge you.

You are no better than a half-baked idea.

Let us not forget. Go now

Beyond self, beyond power of one, to relate.

Look back perhaps to tradition, on this point.

Beware passive consumption of a person.

Relationship is not an expectation.

An extension of you.

Or even a passion. That’s all yours.

Passion is all yours.