going on six, and will

going on six, and will

the burden(ˈbərdn) of the will

By Henry H. Walker

I feel the heavy(ˈhevē) weight,
the burden he carries(ˈkarē),
he sees how the world needs to be,
for he wants it to be that way,
and only if it’s the way he wants is the world right,

the toys must be just so,
and the “just so” changes every moment
as the creator(krēˈātər) in him manifests(ˈmanəˌfest),
his parents must be there for him
just the way he feels they should be,
for what he wants is how it should be,
a video game: joy when it goes well,
indignation(ˌindigˈnāSHən) when it doesn’t,
a call for a science(ˈsīəns) museum(myo͞oˈzēəm) trip,
and today he loses(lo͞oz) the discussion,
though he revisits(rēˈvizit) his desire time after time for hours,
anger at his father for multi-tasking,
talking to us while playing with him,
a physical expression(ikˈspreSHən) of his anger close to his surface(ˈsərfis),

it is hard to understand the world as another sees it,
to realize the world can be seen
as differently shaped from how you see it,
and then to walk forward
in a constant balancing(ˈbaləns) act
between assertiveness(əˈsərdivnəs) and responsiveness(rəˈspänsivnəs),

the will seeks a way to use us as tool,
the challenge is to find a way
that is the best compromise(ˈkämprəˌmīz) for all
to gain(gān) the most and lose(lo͞oz) the least(lēst),
for will to be the tool and not the master.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2018/10/going-on-six-and-will.html