And So This World Never Really Lives Happily Ever After. Poem by RIC BASTASA

no one wants
to share
if it is his
it is
if it is mine
it is

does no one know
what co-existence is?

does no no one
believe that despite
the smallness of
the cake
it can be sliced and
be shared?

do you forget how bread
and fish
multiply when shared?

when miracles happen
when men understand
the hunger of each
other?

the world is flowing
with rivers
and makes the rain
for all
a tree that fruits
does not ask your name
when you gather
its produce

the sea does not ask
for your credentials when
you fish

the mountains do not ask
for your passport when you
trek upon its belly

the skies do not ask for
money when you fly
how birds are so privileged
how butterflies have maintained
their beautiful fragility
in air


how can one not
see the natural law of
love?

no one wants to share
always there is this fencing out
this utter selfishness
one wants all for his
and so the other has begun
to learn to use
the word 'hate' to do the
verb 'kill'

and so this world
never really lives
happily ever after.