Contumacious: Stickiness

Rage continued unabated,
Thus I determined to
Remain aware of it,
Even concentrate on it;

This experiment led to
Great amazement,
As I then found it difficult
To stay with it;

One distraction
After another
Came between attention and
My object:

First, a woman in the street
Down on her luck
Stretched out her hand
Asking for money,

‘Are you mad!’ I thought,
‘Can’t you see I’m enraged?’
What surprised me even more
Was how politely I refused!

Then a sparrow bathing
In the dust, (the avian answer
To calamine lotion, I guessed),
And I forgot my ire once more,

‘Excuse me, little fella/gal
But can’t you tell
I’m trying to focus on
A temper tantrum, now?’

What a slippery customer
And how odd
That rage only sticks
When I forget it!