Poem: Near-Enemy

There’s generosity.

And then there’s something that resembles it.
It wants the favor returned,
This thing that mimics generous.
It suffers from lack of recognition or reward,
And it infects every dime you give a beggar.
You’re not free of it this side of annutara samyak sambhodi.
Until then, it’s best just to be aware of it,
And to give the beggar a dollar.