“Orangutans are skeptical
Of changes in their cages” [Paul Simon – “At The Zoo”]

That may be so, not unlike humans
But, they don’t troll the Zookeeper
(However fond of rum he may be)
On Twitter, threatening rape and murder
They don’t try to pass laws
To turn back the clock, the calendar
They don’t preach from pulpits
Of treason and damnation
Shouting of “whores” and “sluts”
And “perverts” and “socialists”
Feeling terrified, they spread fear
The idea of equality between sexes
Or between races is a horror to them
No, Orangutans don’t do those things
Only humans do those things
Only humans can be so trapped
In old ways and privilege to
Engage is such violent backlash
When confronted with change

Bob Wertzler is retired from almost twenty years in the mental health field in California and Arizona. There are times the title, “Recovering Therapist”, seems to fit. In 2006 he retired to move to Western North Carolina to help and become primary care giver for his father who had developed Dementia. Before all that, there was work at various times as a soldier (US Army 1967-70), community organizer, cab driver, welfare case worker, wooden toy maker, carpenter, warehouse worker, and other things. He relates to a line in a Grateful Dead song, “What a long, strange trip its been.”