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Be Good

From early on I was told Commanded To be what I couldn't be Be good Be even better than good Be smart Smarter than smart Be careful I couldn't be nearly careful enough You wished for me to be extraordinary Like him You wanted me to be that other smarter guy More and more like him In fact I needed to be more like him than he was I tried to be that i thought if that's what you wanted That must be What I want to be But where should I start For I wasn't even sure who I had been I painted on my "Be Happy" face Pretended my collection of tears were diamonds Placed them in my pretending to be normal box After all I only had time Time for being all You wanted me to be I lacked nothing and everything For I ceased being Being free Being real Being anyone or anything You taught me how to be empty To be lonely in a crowded room To be someone Impossible to know I wondered why Why I just couldn't be Whatever that could possibly have been I waited and prayed for your departure Now that you're gone This can be Has been Will be even more The true beginning of what Of what I've been hoping for and couldn't Figure out I think I really want it to be I pray that you in your long gone place will witness the birth of this human BEing Who knows, if I am lucky, it could "Be Good" At the very least Good enough for me!

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Demetrios Trifiatis

Date: 8/3/2015 5:50:00 AM

To be good is to be as good as our Lord indented us to be my friend, Richard, but who knows the way? A didactic lesson of life with multiple messages excellently expressed. A seven!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/3/2015 8:09:00 AM

Thanks Demetrios, you are correct however it is impossible to be another persons definition of good and in the end when we try it leads to never feeling good enough.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/2/2015 4:33:00 PM

wow, Richard. did this not make the list? This is superb way to do the theme of be good. I took it the exact opposite way. My mother was so good in what she taught me. Sorry you had to hear the opposite lesson!!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/3/2015 8:13:00 AM

Each of us is taught in different ways and if we are fortunate we are led to the right path. I'm glad your mother was the way she was. My mother is good as well and she made a bad situation with my dad somewhat more tolerable.

Bl Devnath

Date: 8/2/2015 2:36:00 PM

A nice out look on "be good" saying. you have beautifully expressed at the end to be good to the least extent possible. Always nice to read your poem my lovely friend. 7 sure. Wish you Happy friendship Day. Loved always,bl

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/3/2015 8:16:00 AM

I think our goodness becomes apparent through coming to know God. Apart from His grace our true humanity will never reach it's fruition. Thanks for commenting BL.

Harry Horsman

Date: 8/2/2015 8:40:00 AM

Wow you certainly pack a punch or more here Richard,,,,,interesting poetry, and so much one can get out of what's in there...like this very much

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/2/2015 8:53:00 AM

Thanks Harry. I am channeling my teenage self.

Shadow Hamilton

Date: 8/1/2015 10:16:00 AM

superlative pen Rick hugs 7

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/2/2015 8:54:00 AM

Thanks so much Shadow.

Vera Duggan

Date: 7/31/2015 8:20:00 PM

Richard that is one brilliant poem, all I can say is be you and only you, God gave you, you and that is how it is, we wouldn't have you any other way, f this didn't win the contest then it should have, well written. Take care.............Vera.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/1/2015 8:16:00 AM

I was writing this piece from a much younger perspective. Fortunately I came to know myself many years ago although as I go through changes I come to learn more and more. God is the key to understanding self and removing selfishness.

Poet Tacito

Date: 7/31/2015 5:06:00 PM

Be you, always. Be unique, just like everybody else. ;-) An excellent life lesson here!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/1/2015 8:17:00 AM

Ain't that the truth!

Constance La France

Date: 7/31/2015 4:05:00 PM

Richard, deep and emotional, it takes strength to be what you are meant to be and not someone's ideal, wonderful 7 and thanks for visiting my poem, I love to be quiet

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/1/2015 8:18:00 AM

Thanks Constance, me too.

Emile Pinet

Date: 7/31/2015 10:07:00 AM

You have given a piece of yourself and laid it bare for all to see...and I applaud you for your courage and self-confidence. I hope that this is a cleansing of the soul for you and you can like yourself again and learn to love others for there uniqueness and appreciate your own. Emile. #7

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/1/2015 8:20:00 AM

Thanks Emile, that is a lesson learned long ago. I'm pleased you enjoyed this piece.

Casarah Nance

Date: 7/30/2015 9:40:00 PM

Why didn't you enter this??? c'mon now it so would have been first....Richard...hugss

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 7/31/2015 1:25:00 AM

That's weird, I did enter it Casarah. I am pleased you like it.

Afolabi Muideen

Date: 7/30/2015 5:41:00 PM

A wonderful write Rich. It so lovely, good luck in the contest.............A.M.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 8/1/2015 8:23:00 AM

Thanks A.M. ;0)

Nette Onclaud

Date: 7/30/2015 1:41:00 PM

you are your own person, rich.. yes, you are good enough.. such an honest, lovley work,.. huggs

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 7/30/2015 2:32:00 PM

Thanks and a big hug back to you.

Ndaba Sibanda

Date: 7/30/2015 12:32:00 PM

I think being real is a virtue. A beautiful poem.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 7/30/2015 2:32:00 PM

Thanks Bdaba.

Kp Nunez

Date: 7/30/2015 9:01:00 AM

Gosh, this made me tear up, Rick! I think most parents exhort their kids to "Be good", It's when kids are relentlessly compared to another one that creates a vacuum in their personality, a cruel thing to do. As Mama Bear said, no matter, you turned out to be a wonderful person, not because of it but because as you have often enough said, you've come to know the Heavenly Father. We too, are made the better for this encounter. hugs!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 7/30/2015 9:07:00 AM

You are sweet, thanks for such a thoughtful vist.