“COMMON COURTESY”               

Whatever happened to the words of courtesy?

Thank you, you’re welcome, please, all unheard,

Or so it seems anymore,

Open the door for someone,

Have to thank the self,

So while you’re at it,

You might as well say you’re welcome too.

Are these words not taught to our children anymore?

That seems to me to be so very, very poor,

We need to keep up a semblance of decorum, don’t we?

Or is it that I just don’t get it,

Maybe our lives have changed so much,

That we feel that common courtesy is not needed, nor desired,

                    But not by me,

I still look for and request others to do the same; don’t you see?

      Am I looking or asking for too much?

Or should I maybe just treat others as they treat me?

No, I cannot do that, as I would be down to their level then,

And that would go against all the teachings of my religion, Zen…

So, if you happen to cross my path,

And I open the door for you and you hear me say,

Thank you, you’re welcome,

Don’t think me insane,

Just tired and angry at the loss of  COMMON COURTESY,

          So plain… 

                                                                                                (ed)