In my personal pantheonette—
Understandably tiny—I've yet
To enshrine or revere
Any person whose sneer
Is deployed when they're slightly upset.

It's a common affliction, I know,
To return every blast with a blow,
To redouble attacks
And to never relax,
Nursing grudges from decades ago.

Demonstrations of temper, in truth,
Spewing vitriol, sharp and uncouth,
Always reek of pretense.
And the stinging defense?
I would call it a tooth for a tooth.

It's instinctual: predator-prey.
With an effort, I push it away.
Take a breath and a blink
And a moment to think,
Choosing civilized kindness today.

And besides, all those people are jerks!
They have mental disorders, not quirks!
I descend from above
Full of tolerant love—
And you see how it never quite works...