New Poem by Martha Treichler

Conversation with Sam Abrams, Confucius, and Shakespeare


Sam starts with a number one nuclear rant
and gives us a good question right between the eyeballs,
"How are we better than the worst?"

I say, "Sam, forget the we! You are not responsible
for the we, only for the I!"

Confucius says," Sam, you should relax;
you are doing it about right, let's look at your record.
Knowledge, you are well informed. Check.
You are starting with your own self. Check.
Then you are on to your own community. Check.

Tolstoy interrupts, "I have made the point, rather strongly, I think, 
that the most important place is where you are
and the most important people are those right around you.
Sam, you are doing OK."

Will Shakespeare joins in, "Sam, they are right!
Cool it! Listen to us! As I have said so well,
to thine own self be true, and it shall follow as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man.
So, no more rant, and keep your beat!

                                  ---Martha Treichler



Poem written after hearing John Roche's presentation on Sam Abrams, and hearing Kitty Jospe read Sam's "Our Holocaust."