WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?
- Tekla Syers
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
By Tekla Syers

Was it something in your mother’s milk
that made you so unkind?
Did no one love you?
How did you come to be so brutal
and cavalier
with all but yourself?
Is there any living thing
that you hold dear,
that you wouldn’t sacrifice?
Must everyone and everything serve you?
Do you see the miraculous in others?
Or is that what you fear?
Have you thought of what lies beyond
that tomorrow you hasten to?
There are consequences
and the pendulum swings
as far to the left as to the right.
Must we continue to extremes?
Are you against the whole planet?
Where did that come from?
Can you just relax
and enjoy your neighbors?
Can we all just live our lives
and enjoy the experience?
What in you is fed
by trodding over others
that walk upright
just like you?
And what of our cohabitants on the planet?
And the planet itself?
Is there only you in your universe?
Why must you be so mean?
Have you never been touched by beauty,
by kindness…anywhere? Anytime?
Why despoil and destroy?
Who are you?
What are you?
What happened to you?

— Tekla A. Syers resides in Chicago as a student and teacher of metaphysics; smitten grandmother, dabbler in culinary arts; semi-retired fund development and nonprofit management consultant; and a craftswoman. She enjoys music and art in myriad forms and makes time to observe and reflect on why folks and things are as they are.
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