Whence the milk of human kindness

Exposition/inspiration (quotes)

“…the milk of human kindness” is a quotation from Macbeth (a play by William Shakespeare) spoken by Lady Macbeth as she expressed her concern that her husband lacked the necessary ruthlessness to kill Duncan and seize the throne:

“Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” Other quotes on the subject:

“Kindness is giving hope to those who think they are all alone in this world.” And “kindness is seeing the best in others when they can’t see it in themselves.”

Development /themes (a sonnet)

When the milk of human kindness turns sour

and it smells bad tastes bad and we feel sad

when it continues to get worse by the hour

concluding with the most vitriol you ever had

When thoughts producing human kindness run dry

and peaceful existence begins to slowly ebb away

and doves of peace no longer fly up in your sky

its time to forage for freedom and make some hay

When the cream of human kindness freezes into ice

or curdles and spoils from all your hot temper heat

and people add insults to injury making life not nice

swearing using four letter expletives we won’t repeat

We need to use a lot more friendship and forgiveness

and drink heartily the milk of kindness that it gives us.

Recapitulation/coda (a limerick)

When you and others grow tired of anger and that ilk

surrounded by no moral integrity folks who try to bilk

try and adhere to common sense, use some compromise

follow the 10 Commandments, heed words of the wise

you will find you have more human kindness milk.

From William Shakespeare’s play Pericles

“Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven!”

Joey aka “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is the Poet Laureate of Tinian and enjoys stargazing.