Sigh In Relief Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Blithely my spiritual guru declares,
happy smile on its channeler's face,
hands swinging in the air: difference
between sickness and - wellness - is
determined by the amount of time it
takes to figure out how to feel good -
when seeing something that makes us
feel bad - I have seen so many things
that make me feel bad lately, I do not
know how to begin to feel good again

The only saving grace is laughter and
humour; a high-ranking official recently
said: Criminals should feel unwelcome
in South Africa - which means most of
the country's inhabitants, from educated,
sophisticated white collar fraudsters - to
uncouth, violent street thugs, should feel
unwelcome in our own country, including
all politicians, what a marvellously funny
idea - her well-meant remark

Was cause for great mirth in a world where
most everybody has joined criminal cadres
for survival - where dishonesty, laziness and
lack of integrity are actually rewarded - and
I sigh in relief - at least it means there is
room for me…