greetings

i ask you, "is all well?"
and you tell me, "no."
and it doesn't matter who you are,
the answer is always the same, no.

no, my head hurts
i have heartburn and heartache
i'm bored and my ego is bruised
i need some money and some attention
i hate my job, i hate my life.
it's too hot and muggy for golf,
it's too rainy for gardening.

and i would like to comfort you through your problems,
yet these are not problems.
they are simply signs of your determination
determined to live in darkness, when there's plenty of sunshine.
you have no problems, and refuse to notice.
i cannot assuage self imposed fears.

cancer, incest, hiv, bankruptcy
child molestation, sexual assault
disregard for life, for earth
drug addiction, crack and needles
still births, divorce, beatings
justice denied, racism, -isms

normally, you own none of these.
just a simple disappointment of a life of quiet desperation.
just a failure to create your reality.
and next time i will ask a rhetorical question.
i will ask, "what's horrible about today?"
and you, whoever you may be, will not answer.