It cuts the line at the bus stop,
Raises your gall,
Physically gives you a shove,
So that you want to lash back and give it a beating,
But it’s taken the form of an octogenarian,
So you show restraint and just let the gall burn you and the hatred rise,
You’ve recognized it, acknowledged it, but do not yet know it fully,
It has wrong footed you,
Left an eye burning,
Stinging,
Weeping with inconsideration,
Like that lashed by a branch not held by a fellow traveler,
It refuses to acknowledge your soul,
Takes you off guard then spears deep into your psyche,
Leaving a poisonous barb that burns you with the cold fire of ice,
Snap freezing all that is decent with in you,
A cryogenic preservation of your humanity,
Viewable through the ice, but never felt again,
Then it grips your heart,
Throws it down on the forge,
And hammers out a purple blade of rage,
You take that misshapen heart,
And hack your own way through a forest of humanity,
By pretending to be a pig so that you can eat a tiger,
You of a thick face and a black heart,
You’re not kidding anyone.
Thick Face, Black Heart
deliriousgirl, 6 months ago
Leaving a poisonous barb that burns you with the cold fire of ice,
Snap freezing all that is decent with in you,
A cryogenic preservation of your humanity,
Viewable through the ice, but never felt again,
Then it grips your heart,
Throws it down on the forge
And hammers out a purple blade of rage,
JFC!!! I am so so so highly impressed and in love with these words!!! Exquisite outpouring here, see i knew you had it in you
Yasemin Sumner, 6 months ago
oh, hell, these words are so wonderful. Like Jen says, exquisite. And your description of the title above makes it so much more.
Digby in reply to Yasemin Sumner’s comment, 6 months ago
Thanks a lot Yasemin. I hope people can really get it. It is a kind of cultural thing, but the idea is out there and immediately accessible. Thick face, black heart is a social more for well over half the population of the world, it is essentially the opposite of compassion, the principal social more for the other half.
Digby in reply to deliriousgirl’s comment, 6 months ago
I had to come up with something decent for the compassion contest. I was talking with a friend last night about the Chinese expression Thick Face, Black Heart which essentially is controlling your feelings, not acknowledging others, having a black heart devoid of compassion for anything outside your relationship sphere (or with in often) for getting things done.
deliriousgirl, 6 months ago
Yes, now that you mention it, I kinda knew that about them. Hellfire, I’ve read Pearl S. Buck, now that I remember it. Your depth of knowledge of other cultures amazes me! It is an extraordinary piece, and I can’t say that loud enough!
Trish Cooper, 6 months ago
OK my friend, you did not tell me you were so damn talented!!!! Such depth and great substance in this piece…..I am almost speechless, which for me is a hard thing to accomplish lol…..I am truly amazed, what a gift you have my friend…:))) straight to the fav’s this goes…..and keep up the AMAZING work!!!!!!!!
Digby in reply to Trish Cooper’s comment, 6 months ago
Hey thanks a lot Trish. You know I love your pieces, too.
Natella2020, 6 months ago
The intensity of these words is just astounding. I want to say beautiful, but my tongue is held by the ugliness you so eloquently describe.
A cryogenic preservation of your humanity, a striking description.
Digby in reply to Natella2020’s comment, 6 months ago
Thanks so much Natella2020. My point, I suppose, is that the opposite of compassion is an ugly spirit.
PJ Ryan, 5 months ago
By pretending to be a pig so that you can eat a tiger,
You of a thick face and a black heart,
You’re not kidding anyone
brilliant writing!
Digby in reply to PJ Ryan’s comment, 5 months ago
Thanks Nicole. This is my tilt at the compassion contest. I was thinking today that the biggest issue in Myanmar is that of the Thick Face, Black Heart.