In most of my relationships with people
I have seen that lack of grace,
That comfort, that charitableness
That care, affection and love
That the other can give to me;
All I have found is a dislike,
A disdain, a dismissal, a brushing-off,
A contempt, a derision, a looking-down upon,
A mocking, an uncaring, a jest,
A devaluation, an underestimation,
Or if not that, the disobeying of Kant
And his categorical imperative:
“Treat every man as an end in himself,
And never merely as a means.”
I exaggerate of course
And also I may have done the same
To the others
And this saddens me
How unloving we all are
In all our relationships
And how unless we awaken
From our deep slumber
We will pile upon each other
Misery after misery.
Know Thyself 