Zen and the Art of Emotional Maintenance

In July
Under the Mediterranean sun
Drinking cappuccinos and eating seafood
I sat
And reflected mournfully
On the inimitable sense of loss
That comes with the false realisation that something done was
Good.

And I reflected sorrowfully
On the unimaginable sense of shame
That comes with the false realisation that something done was
Bad.

And then I reflected on nature's sense of remorse
Or lack thereof
On the incomprehensible standpoint
That is possessed by the matriarchal archetype
And Gaia
And so on:
That warmth
Isn't better than cold;
Because even in summer
Guilt is a fruitless tree