When Enough Is Not Sufficient

 

Gore Vidal (American Writer 1925-2012)

 

Enough is enough!

Not always, I would say,

For some it might be

And that depends on the day.

 

Enough may very well be

A marker in the mind

That might be pretty nebulous

Most of the time.

 

It is like having a marker

And reaching it too

But then not being satisfied

Having shifted the view.

 

You may have heard

About “moving the goal posts”,

That used to be the goal

Until the aim was for the most.

 

 

Enough is not sufficient

When somebody else has more,

This is a clear case of avarice

Or simply put, greed to the core.

 

Enough was sufficient

But such is no longer for me,

As long as someone is ahead

That is all I see.

 

Maybe that is the reason

We now aim for something more,

Satisfaction is no longer achievable

Though we have much in store.

 

Think of the world’s billionaires

And what they have achieved,

Yet strangely, they are behaving

Like they are still in need.

  

It’s because somebody has more

And they are not at the top

Hence, redoubling their effort

Until they achieve the top spot.

 

 

Error! Not really you know,

And I will tell you why,

They must now increase the gap

So no one can pass them by.

 

Enough is not sufficient

Even if I have more than enough,

If I do not have the most

Then for me “Things are rough”.

 

Meanwhile they are those

That can only get a crumb

And for them, enough is not sufficient

Because somebody has the bun.

 

Stewart Russell © December 31, 2020