EGO, GOD AND POPEYE

Have you noticed how the ego gets such bad press,

telling us to abandon that old notion of selfishness,

Shrinks and priests always telling us to give up the ‘me’

if we want to move forward toward maturity.

Tis true that purposeful service is good for the soul

making body and mind healthy and whole,

But some saints and sinners are so anxious to arrive

that they forget to relax and just be alive,

Many of us are like riders in a prolonged bicycle race

sprinting to perfection at a breakneck pace,

Constant accusations of massive masculine pride

ruining my journey on this miserable ride,

Sometimes I simply succumb to the lusts of the flesh,

and square off with some moron in a pissing contest,

Then in comes the guilt and my lover shakes her head,

says, “Save your bellowing for when we’re in bed.”

I occasionally despair at the defects of being who I am

an arrogant proud cockerel, a self-centered man,

But is God that concerned about the self that is me?

Is not my ego an indispensable and vital necessity?

Then God whispered, “Take it easy on your jaunt to be good,

ego is training wheels on the way to sainthood.

Ignore those who keep track of your sins in their meddling

just be who you are and don’t stop peddling.

Remember I made you, it’s none of their goddamed biz,

Like Popeye the sailor-man, you am what you is.”

.

end/michael