Every Culture Tries to Save Our Sympathies

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem 

Our sympathies can stretch quite far yet not

As distant as far foreign cultures need

Unless our minds be filled with wisdom shot

Right through with tutored knowledge and the seed

Of kindliness the color of the eyes

Of baby Jesus and the trance-like light

In Buddha’s vision and its gold surprise,

Satori underneath a tree, or slight

And stronger pinks in lotuses when seen

By truly open pupils.  Hindus pray

To avatars of Brahman.  Every sheen

There beckons willing prism minds to sway.

  The Wise Ones in all eras, though, insist

    Your own one soul must find the final list.

~ Phillip Whidden