Suspicion

 

There is something about him

That I just don’t like

I can’t put my finger on it

But it will come to light.

 

There’s something about her too

That troubles my spirit

I can’t tell you what it is

 But something just doesn’t fit.

 

We just didn’t set horses

From the first time we met

And you know what they say

What you see is what you get.

 

But there is more in the mortar

Than just the pestle

 And with this peculiar feeling

Day and night I wrestle.

I would never trust them

My feelings are never wrong

Except for the few times

The feelings weren’t strong.

 

At most suspicion can kill you

Or at least rob you of sleep,

It causes discomfort

When you and that person meet.

A potential relationship

Is not allowed to blossom

All because you are habouring

An unfounded suspicion.

 

It has happened to me

 Though I was on the receiving end

Yet I took the first step

And now that person is my friend.

 

A great relationship has developed

That would not have been

If I had not swallowed my pride

And had not intervened.

 

 

So don’t be too quick to judge

Without solid evidence,

Give another the benefit of the doubt

And don’t let it be an offense.

 

Stewart Russell (c) May 2018

 

Swallowing Pride

 

Mistake number one

He sent someone to me,

Mistake number two

It was a maid; that was funny.

Mistake number three

You wouldn’t believe,

It was the awful instruction

That I received.

Me, second to the king only

Can you dig this?

Dip in Jordan?

There must be something I missed.

And that wasn’t all

There was mistake number four:

Dip not one time

But six times more.

Back home in Damascus

We had Abana and Pharpar,

Compared to the River Jordan

These were cleaner by far.

I was so angry

That I just turned away,

I had come with hope

But it wasn’t my day.

I had heard about Elisha

A very great man indeed,

I had been convinced

That he could meet my need.

Surely if he had come out

And stood before me

I was definitely sure

He could heal my malady.

How dare he

Insult the second in command,

I can tell you now

That was not my plan.

  

That was it for me

Dip in Jordan?  Not a chance,

A dip in dirty Jordan

Couldn’t my skin enhance.

Just then my servants spoke

It was what they said,

Their words made sense

By them I was led.

One dip in dirty Jordan

But there was no change,

Two dips, three and then four

My skin still looked strange.

Down a fifth time

My skin looked no different,

If only you knew

How much this folly I resent.

I paused before the sixth

Then I took the dive,

My skin was still the same

My healing had not arrived.

Well I had dipped sixth times

Seven?  Why refuse?

I was now dirty all over

There was nothing to lose.

So down again I plunged

For dip number seven

And when I came up

That was like heaven.

I had never seen

Anyone’s skin so clean,

You could just imagine

With delight I screamed.

My pride was messier

Than the Jordan I’m sure

But for such an outcome

I could dip fifty times more.

Stewart Russell © May 2018