Collaboration

"Work together,” he said.
“Share your ideas.
Make a plan, then
Report back to me.”
They huddled together, heads low,
By turns pensive, inspired, amused.
She sat ambivalent;
There, but not there.
Assisting, yet disengaged.
Saving ideas for herself.
She produced great work
Which he admired.
Her rewards were high grades
And ample praise
But not for teamwork.

“I’ll need some help,” the mother explained.
“Someone to assist on Saturday night.
It won’t take long;
A friend to be here for about an hour.”
He had the time
But not the proclivity.
He waited in silence
Until someone else offered;
A lucky escape!
Saturday came; he was passing in his car when
Strange intuition struck.
“Maybe I should check on her,” he thought.
On second thoughts, “Oh, she’s probably fine.”
All was not well; she’d been let down
And had to rely on her ex -
He who could not be relied on,
While her friend gained time alone
To add to his uneasy heart.

For many reasons, some hang back:
Through reticence; through lack of time;
Under erroneous notions of dispensability.
Through selfishness and pride;
Under guises of independence.
Some things are better shared:
A smile, a hug,
A loving gesture, a generous word.
Friendship, good news
Worries and joys.
Hold them fast with closed fists and closed heart;
Like the body, they wither and die.
Open your hands, open your heart;
Let goodness flow to others’ lives.
Connect to the vine
And bear good fruit.