Many use others, no matter what,
To elevate any pain from the mindless gut.
Purity of the heart is quite sane
For the body of our immortal soul.
Only the future from the past can grow
Through the shameless power of self-control.

Try as we may to ignore ignorance
Of any and every damn thing.
Reject the chase of circumstance.
Let your personal spirit bring
A chance to be perfectly whole
From the endurance of self-control.
Contemplating Speech
By Carl Kerwick
VA Medical Center—San Francisco, CA

I started with no grudge at all.
Of course, I was very small.
I was influenced by whom I don’t know;
Now I am free like the wind blows.
At times, when my life raft begins to sink,
I sit and start to think.
I try to think of what I can say
To bail out my way.
I stand contemplating of what to speak
As I drown with water up to five feet.
Here comes a sailing dingy;
I climb aboard and start to think.
Before I can speak I’m alone
On an island far from home.
Home I am but have grown in many ways,
Though others here think the same old way
I can speak and think all at the same time;
Things at home aren’t that fine.
My life is starting to float;
I look out for myself in my own boat.
I may not be perfect,
But I sure as hell can try.
Now I’m learning how to fly.