The Jealous Type

This poem reviews the deadly sin of Jealousy, and asks whether we can help being the envious beings we are.

I notice this failing in myself, particularly with respect to writing and body-type, and I find it very hard to rise above. I believe my own jealousy is a side effect of, on the one hand,vaunting (aka unreasonable) ambition and, on the other hand, our appearance-obsessed culture.

I find the best antidote to Jealousy and its accompanying dissatisfaction is to sing the Shaker Song: “Tis the gift to be simple, Tis the gift to be free,Tis the gift to come down, Where we ought to be…” Preferably, while doing some mundane but necessary task, such as folding laundry or doing dishes.

Thanks for coming by to read!

We are the jealous type.

A captain’s steering at the helm,

But we, so filled with overwhelm,

See competence as tripe.

We are the jealous kind.

We look at others, snoop and stare,

And if we’re lacking something there,

We feel so left behind.

We are a jealous breed.

We write our thoughts and share them not;

I call your kettle black, and hot,

While mine is both, indeed.

We are a jealous clan.

Though helping others is a win,

A coin of Kharma to cash in,

We scoff, to lend a hand.

What if we sowed our wildest oats,

And lived our lives, and loved, and wrote,

And I supported your success,

And wished you wealth and happiness?

But no. We’d have our Fortune, Fame,

Our name in floodlights, high acclaim,

The world, bowed at our feet; and Shame

Distressing other, lesser names.

What horrid urge, to bruise and snipe!

We are the jealous type.

Copyright 2021 Andrea LeDew

For more on professional jealosy, read The Writer.