The Temptations of Reid Baer
By Reid Baer

Beyond each temptation of mine
I see a person in kind – a
branch of the tree – a member of

the congregation I killed off
believing this one a certain
hindrance and that one an evil

influence unworthy of my
grand presence – the good on this side
of the bad – away from pieces

I excluded from my life – those
dangerous exaggerations
I eschewed as part of my strife –

I accused them – I attacked them –
I damned them to their dreaded place –
there because they were black and I

was white shining brightly in the
eastern sun light – but then again
at night I hear them – their voices

at the back of the wall – gathered
together to just torment me
sometimes even while I’m awake –

but mostly when I’m asleep - left
defenseless forced to listen to
the monsters – my monsters – these my

kindred monsters and their ghastly
unquiet noises - a chorus
of strident thoughts rustling about

inside my crazy mind and I
find myself ruing the day I
left them all abandoned behind

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