‘ … to see oursels as ithers see us!’

Obscured vision
‘sees’ prejudice
in all (but not within)
and quick to judgement
 – does not begin
to notice any virtue, good,
or any things that shouldn’t, could
have triggered, aggravated
a person’s hurt and spite
or made them shut their eyes
to others’ plight.

Obscured vision
seems to say
‘If I had time and opportunity
how selfless I would be,
I’d give my money
(if I’d enough)
and all would praise me, see
my magnanimity
– oh, such calamity
that I have little I can use –
I have an indisputable excuse!
and so I hide my minor "talent"
in the ground
(– when needed it can easily be found)
and I can speak, condemn,
and rant and rave and rail
against those pompous ‘them’
– whose weak attempts at charity
may be obscured
by plank within my eye,

and I don’t need to act
– convenient, comfortable fact.'

“First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5 (in the Bible)

[Poetry Monthly: satire. The aim of satirical poets was to hold up to ridicule prevailing vices or follies of the age, in such a way as to entertain and, frequently, to instruct. Social criticism can be achieved by poetry with humour, irony, exaggeration, parody and mock approval without the emotional drainage that ranting brings. Satirical poetry is not vicious and sardonic by nature, it can be playful and light, showcasing optimistic wit in inventive ways to suggest how humans can amend their ways.]