serve (v.)
late 12c., serven, "to render habitual obedience to, owe allegiance to," also "minister, give aid, give help," from Old French servir "to do duty toward, show devotion to; set table, serve at table; offer, provide with," from Latin servire "be a servant, be in service, be enslaved;" figuratively "be devoted; be governed by; comply with; conform; flatter," originally "be a slave," related to servus "slave," which is of uncertain origin.
Big, terrible things are now in motion
Which ordinary humans cannot change;
Here then, is a more modest suggestion
Well within our small, quotidian range
We ought to be grateful to be served well
When we order coffee or have wounds stitched
If others are mere means, we’re all in hell
Rarely, then, should obnoxious fits be pitched
That other human who prepared your lunch
But for an accident of time and chance
Could be you, and vice versa—I’ve a hunch
That keeping that in mind could well enhance
The way we treat those who serve, for in truth
Those who serve none but themselves are uncouth
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
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Comments (5)
Amen. Having worked in food & hospitality for the majority of my life, one of my favorite things to do now that I have the means is support local businesses. Part of that is tipping well, another is being friendly to the staff. I’m grateful for how my experiences shaped me all those years.
"If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." – Sirius Black from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Anyone who treats those in the service industry poorly is a red flag to me. Loved your poem!
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So true. And a sonnet well written. 🙌🏻
I like this a lot.
Hear, hear! Manners cost nothing, doesn't matter who. You are, it is fair to say, on fire at the moment.