BARBED-WIRE MIND

after Leonard Crow Dog

Rid yourself of barbed-wire mind.

Make this day the day you reject

barbed-wire attitude.

I resolve you of your preparations for imprisonment.

I terminate your training in weakness.

You won’t get away with it.

Long suffering means to keep on forgiving.

Judges fall asleep on the bench.

The ends no longer justify the means.

Others may hold desperately onto misconduct.

They may remind you what could happen

       if you don’t cooperate.

Who is faithful with least is faithful with much.

It’s time to connect the dots.

15 May 1993

Spoken word version from Walking thru Hell Gazing at Flowers.

Copyright © 1996 by Jim Cohn.

Text from Grasslands (Writers & Books Publications).

Copyright © 1994 by Jim Cohn.