Neighborly

Our problem in society today
is ingrained, congenital.
We value power, fear, self-interest, hate;
shun as weak, congenial.

We know what is right and good but still say:
“If it works for good for me,
protest evil against another? Nay!”
The decent man is absentee.

When did the rule change from “as you would have,”
to “look at how much worse THEY are?”
I fear we’ve embraced aggressively bad,
and lost our neighborly heart.

(Poetry Scales 123)