Prose From the Soul: In a Perfect World

In a perfect world, no one would ever get old
No one would ever die or feel pain or touch a moment of sadness.
Not once.
In a perfect world, your favorite gum would never lose flavor,
you could eat as much of anything you want
and you’d never gain too much weight,
you’d never hear the word calories as a threat
or be put off and think about things
like your cholesterol.

In a perfect world,
there’d be no such thing as cancer
and the only thing that would be contagious
is a smile
or the feeling that comes when you see fireflies
at nightfall.

In a perfect world,
the sunrise would never be intercepted
or distracted by a manmade flaw
and the rain would never spill so much
that we’d have to cancel our plans
or worry about our parade.
The sunset would battle the sunrise
to see which time could produce more meaning:
Is it the fact that we lived through another day
or is the fact that the sunrise comes
to prove we have another shot.

In a perfect world,
there would be no such thing as insecurity
or overthinking and there’d be no reason
to anticipate the worst or expect the other shoe to drop,
or to suspect the impending doom
as if something uncontrollable was coming
your way.

We’d never fight with the people we love.
We would never let them down
and timing would never be the problem
because timing is the evidence of who we are and why.
Our history is a map,
which details the paths and byways
which it took for us to get here,
which is exactly where we are
(and where we’re supposed to be).

There’d be no wars or riots and rumbles.
There’d be no hurt feelings or heavy-handed emotions.
There’d be no reason to prove one’s self
We’d all realize that “we got the job”
and there’s nothing more to prove.

There’d be no reason to fight or pick people apart
or question if it’s right or wrong
to wear white after Labor Day (at least, in the States that is).

No one would ever be bullied by anyone else,
especially themselves, nor would there be a thing
such as social cancers or viruses
and in a moment of discomfort;
everything could be healed
with a simple bowl of Grandma’s soup
or a plate of your favorite food.

The games we’d play would be fun
and never hurtful or derogatory
In fact,
the games we’d play would be enough
to settle any disputes
and every Sunday would be a special day
where we all got together for dinner
and the weather would always be right. 

In a perfect world,
no one would ever feel left out or forgotten
or think that they were pushed aside
or that for some reason, they were unwelcome
or unwanted and somehow irredeemable,
or irreparable, irreclaimable or hopeless.

No, that would not be the case.
In a perfect world, there’d be no reason for us to have our guard up;
people would be at home wherever they are
and no one would judge us on our looks
or trace our details to see if we fit in
(or not).

I can tell you this much; in a perfect world,
we’d be treating heart attacks before they happen.
Not after –
There’d be no such thing as a social pariah
or outcasts, or the need to differentiate people
as if their status or caste system
surpasses character.

There’d be no need to decipher between
the untouchables to commoners or peasants,
or to merchants and owners, warriors and priests. 

We’d all be equal then

I suppose we’d all be tough in a perfect world
and there’d be no weakness or even a regard for weakness
because in a perfect world,
those who lacked strength
would have someone to help them stand on their own,
until they gained the power to do this for themselves.

In a perfect world, we would understand the benefits
of planting more than one seed –
but even still; in a perfect world,
one seed would grow one plant,
which would feed the village –
and since everyone in the village contributed
and grew a plant of their own;
we’d have enough to share with the next village,
who would be doing the same thing,
which means in a perfect world,
we would be self-sufficient.

There’d be no reason to worry about your credit score
or whether your job comes
with an office with your name on the door.

In a perfect world,
the janitor would be treated with the same enthusiasm
as the CEO – and we would know this is so
because we would know that first, we are all human.

We are all humble to the world
and that good things and bad things happen –
only, in a perfect world, bad things wouldn’t happen.
Just life would happen and if
on the occasion that something unfortunate took place –
there’d be no worries
because the village that raised the child
would also be the same village
who cared for that child when they grew old. 

Someone pointed out to me that I look “Different”
Someone mentioned my background not too long ago
and called this, “Disturbing.”
Someone told me that I do not speak the way I write
or was it that I don’t write the way I speak. Yet
someone told me that my appearance said one thing
but my words say another.

Know what I say?
This is me and in a perfect world,
I would never have to defend myself
for being me . . .
or wait – that’s right.
I don’t have to . . .

If I could, I’d like to order a perfect world.
I’d like this with a side order of no fighting,
an order of play nice,
hold hands and some judgment free sauces,
and all the french fries you could give me.

I think I’d take two plates of happiness
and one glass of soul and spirit
with some love
to go over my fearless fried chicken
to go next to my antidepressant salads
with two sides of serenity sauce
and one bottle of calm dressing –
and as my good friend or childhood hero Diamond Dave,
or AKA David Lee Roth once said –  give me that and . . .
Give me a glazed donut
and a bottle of anything.

. . . . To go!

I know there is no perfect world.
And I know that there’s no magic pill.
I know this because if there was, well, cancer wouldn’t be taking my friend Papo away.
Or Alba. Or Richie. 

And I know this isn’t a perfect world because if it was,
Heaven would have visiting hours and my birthday
would never miss a morning where Mom would call –
to sing happy birthday to me

I have to say this: that while yes,
the world is not a perfect place
the only thing that makes this place perfect
is you
because the love I have for you
is perfect.