If Only I Were (Human Enough)

If onlyI were human,

I would learnhow to tremble at another's hungerbefore counting my own bread.

I would inherit the rare talentof saying, "I was wrong,"without mistaking it for defeat.

I would unlearnthe habit of mistakingthe loudest voice for the truest one.

I would forgetthe arithmetic of lovewho gave more, who owed less.

I would knowthe weight of a door closing behind someone,and fill that silence with explanation.

I would rememberthat every kindness is a debt I cannot repay,and every cruelty is a mirror I cannot break.

I might understandthat forgiveness is not a door I open for others,but a window I crack open for myself.

Until then, I supposeI shall continue practicingthis remarkable artof looking exactly like one.