Ramblings At 11 A.M. Poem by RIC BASTASA

what humiliates us is us.
it is the thought that we are humiliated that
humiliates us, not them, who
are but perspectives, minds that we have no
power to fathom, eyes that look where they want to,
it is a matter of decision actually
to be humiliated or not

in the same manner what give us dignity is us.
what we think is what we are
and we are dignified for as long as we think ourselves to be
the manifestations matter, we agree, but these are perspectives
still that matter not to them
who are preoccupied with the art of living
and the eventual and slow
deaths that everyday enters upon us.

everything are mental constructs
to keep our pieces intact we grope and always collect
and think that we are whole again and again
like a chant, a whisper
winding to our ears

do not be too sensitive
no one can kill