The Cold Within

[H2O Man]

This was my friend Rubin's favorite poem. I loved hearing him recite it. He came from a line of preachers, and delivered it with gusto. I was thinking it might be of value as we consider events in the Democratic Party's primaries. We are in this together. We need every Democrat to be united in November. Let's use our sticks to beat Trump. It beats the hell out of how cold it will be if Trump is given a second term.


The Cold Within
by Timothy Kinney

Six humans trapped by happenstance
In bleak and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood
Or so the story’s told.

Their dying fire in need of logs
The first man held his back
For of the faces round the fire
He noticed one was black.

The next man looking ‘cross the way
Saw one not of his church
And couldn’t bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes.
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy shiftless poor.

The black man’s face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight.
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.

The last man of this forlorn group
Did nought except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game.

Their logs held tight in death’s still hands
Was proof of human sin.
They didn’t die from the cold without
They died from the cold within.

[left-of-center2012]

1. Thank you

I never read that before, but will be passing it along.

[H2O Man]

2. Thanks!

I loved hearing Rubin recite it.

[Turin_C3PO]

3. Great poem!

Thank you for posting.

[H2O Man]

7. Thank you!

I recognize that those who need to think about it will ignore the poem's message. But I am confident that others understand.

[Bayard]

4. Powerful

That's a keeper.

[H2O Man]

8. Thanks!

It's in one of the biographies of Carter. And something I heard him recite numerous times.

[PETRUS]

5. That's a wonderful poem, and new to me!

Thanks for sharing it.

There are as many different perspectives and experiences as there are people. While it's true that there are conflicting interests in the world and not every attempt to resolve them can be "win-win," I think it is possible to find compromises that preserve everyone's dignity and meet everyone's most basic needs. Others may disagree, but I believe that the records of both of our major remaining candidates shows that each of them has the ability to work constructively with people who see things very differently.-*

[H2O Man]

9. Thank you!

One of the things I find curious in reading DU:GD-P this morning is how many people are totally unaware that Joe and Bernie are in close communication at this time. They have far more in common than they have differences. They know it is essential that we beat Trump. They are friends, not enemies. But that truth is not grasped by some of our chattering friends.

[PETRUS]

11. Well, there is a competition in progress.

One thing I've noticed about sports is that fans are often more adversarial than players. That might not be the best analogy, since whether Bernie or Joe wins the nomination or whether the Democratic nominee wins or loses in November is far more consequential than who wins the Stanley Cup (for example), but I wonder if there's a similar dynamic at play, at least with some voters.

[PatSeg]

6. Very powerful!

[H2O Man]

10. Thanks!

[a kennedy]

12. Wow indeed.......

[H2O Man]

13. Thank you!