A Matter of Pride

I first heard about
the Seven Deadly Sins
in grammar school
back when kids
memorized almost
everything.

Wrath, Greed, Sloth,
Pride, Lust, Envy,
Gluttony skipped off
my tongue in third grade
even though I had
little idea of what
they meant.

As I grew older
and learned what
they involved
I came to think Pride
wasn’t as deadly
as the others
since most Americans
inherit Pride
to some degree
in their DNA

but then I listened to
a political debate
the other night
and heard someone
with terminal Pride
preach on television,
someone who should
have been in hospice
rather than on stage.

As Americans we’re
lucky terminal Pride
is not contagious.
We know it’s an
autoimmune disease.
No cure for that.

Donal Mahoney, nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart prizes, Donal Mahoney has had poetry and fiction published in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Some of his work can be found by clicking here…