An Act of Parallel Respects

It's not 'their truth'; that

you are losing

your self-respect,

having it sucked

and vacuumed into

a dehumanized void.

There can be judged not

a loss of self where

there is commensurate

and equal return of

respects given from

the actions-of-heart

correspondingly and

paralleled in return.

You are gained in your actions

a giving absolutely of

the deepest of respects

others-else would,

lost judgmentally in

misunderstandings, but

adjudicate as demeaning

and impersonal negation.

Instead, 'your offering', unfolds

the act of respects and

functional understandings

that, from a long history,

of necessity, has found

in mutual agreement that

this form and order, is

become both wise and just.

In this, your act of bowing down,

it is not the loss of wisdom,

will or any respect of self;

this act is but the sincerity

of a loving deference to the

waiting of peace and kindness.

(15 September '18)