Colin F. Jones

WHEN I AM ME

When I preach then I am a preacher
a mechanic when I fix up your car,
when I instruct then I am a teacher
when idle I’m less than you are.

A civilian can wear the coat of a soldier
a slayer the gown of a nurse
a youth may pretend to be older
a smile can be a camouflaged curse

Today I wear the hat of a policeman
tomorrow the crown of a King
you are what you are when you do it
when you don’t you aren’t anything.

So when they impress me with letters
like trucks in a line on a train
I humbly acknowledge my betters
within the narrow confines of their claim.

Yet when I am master of moment
when I wear my own hat in a role
then I am the leading exponent
of the dictatorial incomparable soul.