I Deserve, What?

Stefan Sencerz

October 8, 2023

A meal? A bandage when I am injured?
Medicine that might help with a headache?
A fair payment for a job well done? 
An embrace by a friend? A kind hands?

I try to think that all of these 
are but gifts and offerings 
the kindness of the universe
rather than what is deserved 

Not a matter of justice 
not what is earned 
but rather the matter of 
wisdom-compassion  

Sort of like the Amida’s smile 
embracing in its gentle grace all 

It helps me be less angry 
when we do not get 
what I know for sure
we really deserve

Stefan Sencerz, born in Warsaw, Poland, came to the United States to study philosophy and Zen Buddhism. He teaches philosophy, Western and Eastern, at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. His essays appeared in professional philosophy journals (mostly in the areas of animal ethics and metaethics) and his poems and short stories appeared in literary journals. 

Stefan has been active on the spoken-word scene winning the slam-masters poetry slam in conjunction with the National Poetry Slam in Madison Wisconsin, in 2008, as well as several poetry slams in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Chicago.