One Good Turn
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By luigi_pagano
- 1972 reads
One good turn deserves another
and more often than not we comply
but what if we suffer an injustice?
What's the most appropriate reply?
Do we then turn the other cheek,
respond to insult without retort
or demand an eye for an eye
as ideological hardliners exhort?
It's known that a worm will turn
if stepped on far too often
and it is unrealistic to expect
that its attitude will soften
through the fear of being cut
in half by the blade of a spade.
Its resolve is bound to harden
to show it's no longer afraid.
Some species can regenerate
even when cut in two pieces.
Despite intensive decimation
their existence never ceases.
Our effort to get rid of them
may unintentionally affect
the highly precarious survival
of every other insect.
An incipient war's requisite
is that opponents must manage
to resolve their differences
without collateral damage.
© Luigi Pagano 2023
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Comments
That's a powerful ending with
That's a powerful ending with your final stanza, Luigi. The meter and rhyme is very nicely done, of course. Expertly executed, sir.
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So well said Luigi and in
So well said Luigi and in rhyme too! Very profound ending- wish the leaders on this planet could understand that and abide.
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This is full of your usual
This is full of your usual wonderful rhyme and rhythm but the final verse took me by surprise, much like when you're watching something amusing and nice on television and you change channels to suddenly discover the awful news of the day.
Extremely well done Luigi.
Turlough
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Luigi, what a brilliant poem!
Luigi, what a brilliant poem! Every line could mean two things. No one could be offended, yet it contains so much wisdom and advice
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Impressively done Luigi, and
Impressively done Luigi, and I hope the advice in the final verse comes about soon.
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Luigi's wise poem is Pick of
Luigi's wise poem is Pick of the Day! Please do share if you can
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Such wise words and so neatly
Such wise words and so neatly and artfully arranged. The age old problem of how to right wrongs without doubling up on the wrong or being trampled all over. We've still some evolving to do.
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Powerful, symetrical and
Powerful, symetrical and fantastic imagery. Worth a Pick of the Day and a part in any anthology....Luigi strikes again !
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