Musings of a Poet

Lori Garner with her drawing, "Defacement" and Marjorie Chesebro with her poem, "Beauty."

BEAUTY

The city is pulsating with people

of all cultures, races and creeds . . .

One homeless woman with small dog

bears a sign indicating

she wishes to be loved

despite being ugly

Beauty – in the eye of the beholder

The calm before the storm

Are we conditioned to love only beautiful things?

The misfit . . .the outcast . . .

the rebel . . .the cursed . . .

Unlovable because they are not

the aesthetically pleasing norm

Who sets this impossible standard of beauty?

The hungry . . .the homeless . . .

the hurried . . .the hurting . . .

All major world religions teach

“Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Self-love becomes the

prerequisite to loving others

If the mirror does not

reflect a beautiful face

Where then does that

leave my neighbor?

© 2015 Marjorie Chesebro

All rights reserved