"Body Old; Brain Hardly Used..."

Mental Neglect

I have checked with
Friends and family
And here’s what I find…
That the organ most in need
Of change is always in a bind

The arms grow weak,
The shoulders ache,
Walking shouldn’t be this hard
For Heaven’s sake!

We bitch, we moan
Our expletives deleted!
But all things considered
Why are our efforts
So constantly defeated…

Nevertheless, while our hair
Grows gray and long
We have difficulty changing
Our perennial song…

If we were born with
Our prejudices intact
And our hatreds full blown
Will they change in time?
Will we willingly change our tone?

Chances are what we learned
Despite all we’ve discerned
Will not evolve
Nor will we resolve…

…Our predisposition towards
The “status quo”…
I may not know much
But that much I know

Wisdom distilled from
Relationships long
Over many years
Suggest that our bodies might change
But not our fears!

That people who hated then
Will hate again!...
Too bad for civilization
One might confide
Or maybe not so bad…
If you can find
a good place to hide!...

Les Aaron