Poetry

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Liberal Friends

by Lionel E. Deimel

 

Though you and I are not alike,

We’ve now become the best of friends;

Affection born of many chats

Each minor contrast quite transcends.

 

Indeed, you are a country girl,

And I’m a long-time city chap;

Though I have more degrees than you,

That doesn’t seem a handicap.

 

You care about a lot of things

I’ve not thought very much about;

I’ve learned from you a thing or two

And that there’re facts I must find out.

 

I share with you the films I love,

The movies that can thought provoke,

The films that challenge what we think

But may not speak to other folk.

 

I seek expanded human rights;

On this desire, we quite agree;

We pledge our funds and demonstrate

To keep our nation’s people free.

 

You’re one inclined to gad about

While I stay home and read a book;

I sometimes need a little push

To not stay put and write and cook.

 

We both attend a liberal church

And talk about what Jesus said;

We think about what we should do

And how to use both heart and head.

 

We care about the wider world:

The beasts and plants and natural wealth;

Our world is not just ours to use;

We must consider Gaia’s health.

 

We want to make our nation great

But not in ways we’ve tried before;

We seek a future we can love,

Not one we’re likely to deplore.

 

 

This poem was inspired by a friend who, like me, is a liberal Democrat. She constantly challenges me to be more of an activist, and we have attended a number of anti-Trump demonstrations together.

The poem is actually a rewrite of the originally inspired poem that I wrote rather hurriedly on 2/27/2026 to present at Open Mic Night at Sulfur Books. When I reread that earlier poem recently, I found it unsatisfactory in many respects. After asking the members of my writer’s group to help me improve the poem, I decided that the ideas in the poem needed to be recast into a totally new poem.

In rewriting “Liberal Friends,” I wanted to make the meter more uniform, and I wanted to write longer lines to be able to express more complex ideas. I Also wanted to change the first stanza to make it clear that the relationship described was not based solely on common viewpoints.

Here is the original poem:

You and I are not alike,

Though surely we are friends;

We share so many basic views

On which friendship depends.

 

Though you were just a farm girl,

And I was from the city,

You often offer sober thoughts

When I am feeling witty.

 

I value all your passions;

I’m embarrassed if to me

They’re ones I haven’t thought of,

So with you I must agree.

 

I seek expanded human rights

As zealously as you;

I want our air and water clean

As you, I know, do, too.

 

You’re very fond of animals,

Concerned about their welfare;

I’ve learned so very much from you

Of creatures here and elsewhere.

 

The fate of our democracy’s

Our biggest shared concern;

Together we can demonstrate,

Contribute, teach, and learn.

As you can see, the new poem was very much influenced by the old one. Particular ideas have been added and others removed. I finished the revised poem 7/13/2026, having begun thinking about in earnest over a week before. The revised poem may not be a masterpiece, but I think it time to move on to other projects.

— LED, 7/14/2026

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