Mediocrity Is Not An Effort That Succeeds
I do not pursue a challenge with you.
No.
Not at all.
I am on a quest,
To outdo 'my' best!
And having me to critique,
My own efforts made...
I wouldn't wish this kind of pressure,
On anyone else.
You should hear some of the things I say!
I am too forgiving of others' attempts.
And much too strict...
When accepting what I believe,
Is a commitment to achieve...
What I deem for myself as 'sheer' mediocrity.
And mediocrity is not an effort that succeeds.
Not for me as a motivator,
Pushing towards a direction that pleases.
It is for me an acceptance of procrastination.
And I have already given myself accolades for that.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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That I Did Not Say
If you 'were' to select,
Someone to which your abilities were compared...
To be critiqued.
Whom would you pick?
'Hmmm...
Let's see.
I would probably pick someone who believed,
Their best was to achieve mediocrity.'
But suppose their efforts were championed.
And the greater of your efforts were deemed to be less.
Wouldn't that bother you?
Wouldn't you be upset?
'Why should I be bothered?
My mind is not one of a critic.
And I spend no time deciding 'whom' to crtique.'
So you think nothing of your accomplishments.
Nor of your notoriety.
'THAT I did not say.
My devotion, commitment and sacrifice,
Consistency with persistence and longevity...
Should speak for itself.'
Then you are familiar with being criticized?
'Oh yes.
Definitely.
But I've been working on my low tolerance,
When showing I am getting annoyed.'
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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I May Well Be A Mediocrity
I MAY WELL BE A MEDIOCRITY
I may well be a mediocrity
One who tries and tries
But never really inspires-
I may well be one of the many
Called but not chosen-
I may be more another small unimportant disturbance
Than one whose work is of real meaning and value-
I may well be a mediocrity
And an ultimate nothing-
Whose words are now saved by a new technology
But will be dust forever -
I may well be a mediocrity
Despite wanting so much not to be-
I may well be a mediocrity
And probably am-
In which case I apologize
To the reader of this
If there is one
For taking your time.
poem by Shalom Freedman

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Unfinished Notes
I don't do accolades.
Like the ones who do it.
With the giving of them freely.
I've been wounded too many times,
By the telling of explicit truths.
And when I realized this done,
Had been to discourage me...
From my pursuits,
Only then did I become serious.
With a choosing I could prove,
To myself 'first' with a doing.
I needed to achieve my best.
And not leave behind unfinished notes,
I wrote to suggest I made attempts...
To appease the ease of an outgrowing I felt,
Of an accepted mediocrity I knew too well.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
quote by Joseph Heller

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Twice Becomes a Habit
Doing what we please.
With the selling of our embellishments.
Has come under much scrutiny.
And a call to be precise...
Does not sit too comfortably,
With those irresponsible.
And others n'er do well.
Seeking a laziness to entice.
To abuse this twice becomes a habit.
To keep it fed becomes routine.
Some may see this as discrimination.
Not a justification...
To do away with incompetence.
And those who half accomplish...
What their intentions find difficult to finish.
These days a mediocrity,
Is being ushered from the spotlight.
Success comes with applied effort.
Not from those accepted as nice.
But aren't up to the challenge...
To get things done,
With sacrifice.
To abuse this twice becomes a habit.
To keep it fed becomes routine.
Gone are those days of going through the motions.
And adopting the notion,
Procrastination fascinates those with patience waiting.
Time is not a blind date...
Hoping to approve who shows and comes,
Out of breath with expressed excuses.
And annoying the diligent ones.
That tick-tocking on those clocks have stopped!
To abuse this twice becomes a habit.
To keep it fed becomes routine.
And refusing people like this,
From addressed strict agendas...
Keeps a purpose with direction flourished.
As long as it is understood...
They will always be kept in minds respected.
But their absence is welcomed,
When they are far away from strategic scenes.
Not to demean.
But to accomplish.
'No offense.
But we are here to get things done.
You understand that,
Don't you? '
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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I Am Not Proud Of Being A Mediocrity
I AM NOT PROUD OF BEING A MEDIOCRITY
I am not proud of being a mediocrity-
But if I am
Does this mean
I should stop writing forever?
Does it mean I should spend the rest of my life
In bitter angry lament?
If I am a mediocrity
And chances are good that I am
Then perhaps I should just try to live with it
And understand
The only one who's time will be wasted
And who will give attention to all this writing I have done
Is me.
Mediocrity or not,
I can still try to be a fairly decent human being.
poem by Shalom Freedman

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Some people are born mediocre, some people achieve mediocrity, and some people have mediocrity thrust upon them.
Joseph Heller in Catch-22

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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How Unappropriate
Chasing mediocrity,
To seek an approval...
Is to deny one's best efforts.
Just because there is a variety of sleaze,
Presented in acceptable decadence...
Does not mean quality is not appreciated.
It just appears that everyone seeks mediocrity.
And those who desire an occasional taste of lowlife,
Do not necessarily welcome this in their homes.
They are the first to announce how unappropriate this is!
And what should be done to monitor such behavior.
As ideas to create new employment situations for themselves.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Mediocrity
Mediocrity is the cursed of the damned!
Failure to great men
Who set their bows
And aim skywards
To strike their starry targets.
Mediocrity is success though
For lesser mortals...............
Short sighted non-visionaries
Who always hope for lady luck
To bail them out
Of their misfortune recurrent.
So then, for many
Mediocrity is success!
To a select few......
An abject failure!
poem by Enoch John

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Mediocrity would always win by force of numbers, but it would win only more mediocrity.
quote by Ellen Glasgow

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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First To Thirst With An Impression Rehearsed
If success and the encouragement of it received,
Had always been the objective to reflect greatness...
The presence of failure would not have been introduced,
To produce mediocrity to use as an accomplished goal.
And those making attempts to reach higher to achieve,
Would never be opposed by disbelievers who deceive.
IF insecurities and greed were not priorities to feed...
First!
To thirst.
With an impression rehearsed upon those observing.
If success and the encouragement of it received,
Had always been the objective to reflect greatness...
The presence of failure would not have been introduced,
To produce mediocrity to use as an accomplished goal.
Or advocating divisions with an emphasis on race,
To minimize greatness and those benefits replaced!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Some Things Others Do
YOU,
May tolerate your laziness.
But me?
I find it offends.
Perhaps,
I know what it takes to be disciplined.
And those accepting mediocrity with ease...
Is like hearing the screeching,
With chalk on a blackboard...
Intentionally begin.
YOU,
May tolerate your laziness.
But me?
I find it offends.
And I know I represent,
An older generation now!
However...
Some things others do,
I will not let go unmentioned.
It is wonderful to see someone attempting their best.
And that effort seems to grab my attention!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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A Land Fit For Zeros
Hold hands with the person to your right
Hold hands and try to look sincere-o
Tell them, though you don't know their name
That you still can feel their pain
Yeah you still can feel their pain
We'll sing "Jerusalem" now boys
As we build a land fit for zeros
It's all that I can do to stop
Fake tears from welling up
Fake tears from welling up
If you thought this was your country
You can just forget it
You're too old, you're too poor
You're too posh
You'll never get in here wearing that my dear
Don't smoke, don't smack
Don't eat red meat
This is a tolerant land fit for zeros
And if you're lost just hear my call
"Mediocrity is all. Mediocrity is all"
If you thought this was your country
You can just forget it
You're too old, you're too poor
You're too posh
You'll never get in here wearing that my dear
The past is all forgotten now
This is a young, modern land
Fit for zeros
And if we fight, it's only when
We're guaranteed to win
And should you, just stray
Just hear my call
"Mediocrity is all. Mediocrity is all
song performed by by Proclaimers

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Peers Will Jeer
Those who aspire to achieve heights of mediocrity
Are not to be blamed for these aims they select.
If this is their best they believe they should reflect...
They offer much less,
Than just crowded fast food places to leave
As their legacy!
They leave people like me aging,
Wondering why wanting to achieve our best...
Had been a waste of time their peers will jeer
As obscene gestures from a time
People actually made attempts to use their minds,
For thinking!
And 'worked' with a desire for a quality of life teased...
But nonexistng?
How 'purposterous' can that be?
'It is 'preposterous'...
How absurd were they 'then' in those olden days?
Why on Earth did they struggle like that? '
Exactly!
My exact 'centiments'!
'It's 'sentiments'! '
So you 'feel' me?
You can dig my chatter?
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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There Comes A Time
There comes a time,
When something believed cute done...
Loses its cuteness and begins to irritate.
There comes a time,
When expectations rise above mediocrity.
And the acceptance of those who choose to do,
Mediocre things on a continuous basis...
With a losing of mediocrity as something 'cool'.
And from it there is a backing off,
With a recognition of it too!
There comes a time,
When a rudeness to another done...
Has to be confronted,
By the one who no longer finds this cute!
And a introducing to maturity,
From someone who knows it for what it is...
Does not hesitate to keep it patiently,
In a safe place without it being shown fact to face.
There comes a time,
When one who finds being mature...
Has to offend those who find immaturity,
Difficult for them to escape.
And...
There comes a time,
When those who have lost themselves...
Reciting nursery rhymes with comfort,
With a whining done from their limited minds...
Must be left behind.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Preferring to Complain, Eat, Play Games and Sleep
Things will be said about the one once ignored.
The one once a joke,
And providing laughing fodder...
To those who fidget.
Saying there is 'nothing' to do!
And life to them bores.
With attempts made to improve their lives...
Very few of them even bother.
But this does not happen,
To those deemed and perceived...
Least likely to succeed.
The ones living quietly in communities,
And discreetly applying their seeds to achieve.
Perceiving to 'do' is 'to' follow through and receive.
Setting the example,
Is likened to biting into a pail of nails.
In some places...
Where folks are accustomed to applauding failure.
And setbacks are welcomed by those laying the traps!
It seems to happen to those,
In acceptance of themselves.
Believing they can do anything!
And accomplish like no one else.
No matter what the circumstances.
People like this seem to have a determination.
Like flowers reappearing to dare to bloom brighter,
Every Spring!
As if to prove a point that is made.
Regardless of what the naysayers bring to the table.
These folks seem to qualify their own abilities!
Since to accomplish means to them...
What one does with one's mind.
Not a place to find where this can be done.
Or seek to fulfill a mediocrity,
Like everyone in an environment...
Where excuses are made.
And alibis the 'disease'.
And a thought process for many,
Seems to have stalled in potential.
Surrounded by an abundance of it.
To proclaim!
But the potential has yet to become essential.
It's just in conversation to exclaim.
With a doing of it yet given an opportunity to use.
And those seen in pursuit...
Are immediately sought to ridicule and abuse!
Yes this 'is' sick!
And done daily by vocal nitwits!
Things will be said about the one once ignored.
The one once a joke,
And providing laughing fodder...
To those who fidget.
Saying there is 'nothing' to do!
And life to them bores.
But this does not happen,
To those deemed and perceived...
Least likely to succeed.
The ones living quietly in communities,
And discreetly applying their seeds to achieve.
And ironically...
This activity one has sought to pursue,
Isn't that unique!
But a work ethic applied to tasks to complete...
Seems oddly a challenge many unaccepting.
As seen by those who roam on urban streets.
Many have come to fear to dislike and not endear...
The definition of work or the time spent to sacrifice.
Mention this...
And they will soon disappear!
But adopting quick to devisive devices...
No one fears this at all!
Preferring to complain...
Eat, play games and sleep.
With a shopping stop made,
Daily at a local mall.
Like an expected routine.
Kept as sacred,
As the connection of life has to breath.
No matter if the act of that...
Has least importance than one's credit.
'They seem to take a lot for granted here.
Don't they? '
~I have no idea.
Do they?
I have things to do to get done.~
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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There Is A Poetry Of Mediocrity
There is a poetry of mediocrity-
One simply utters whatever is on one's mind
In whatever language it happens to come-
One says the simplest thing in the plainest way
One expresses the moment-
Anyone can write the poetry of mediocrity
And everyone can read it-
I know what it is
I have written it often
And you are reading it now.
poem by Shalom Freedman

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Intended And Meant To Enforce
Ignoring the opportunity,
To keep flourishing the growth of possibilities...
Leads to a diminishing of mediocrity.
And once a mediocrity encouraged leaves...
A dropping to scratch the bottom,
Invites a decadence to live and thrive...
As if intended and meant to enforce,
With an endorsement that is advocated.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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DIS with an ASTER Grasped
DIS with an ASTER...
That's how some live their lives.
With attempts not to include,
Any form of discipline.
With expectations,
However they achieve a goal wished...
Can be done without sacrifice.
With an achieving of success,
The way they would like.
Those not applying a daily regimen,
With not a focus or a purpose...
From Sunrise to Sunset,
With some sweat and tears that may begin.
Believe that anything tossed into the wind,
By them...
Is significant to pass.
Even if it's mediocrity!
Or...a DIS with an ASTER grasped.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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In Tones Of Nonconformity
Systematically,
And with a pinch of strategy...
An addiction to mediocrity condoned,
Has replaced the drive to achieve...
A higher state of mental activity.
In fact,
Being illiterate and lacking in intelligence...
Is as welcomed as acquiring skills to deceive.
If one happens to live,
In certain communities...
Where the acceptance of nonsense,
Brings one a life of ease and thoughtlessness.
Cynical?
Those expressions have long been dismissed,
As pessimistic!
And somehow pessimism today seems to be the goal,
By the ones who chose to ostracized the ones...
Who spoke in tones of nonconformity.
And nonconformity?
Everyone seems to be caught in the act of it.
They call them activists now.
Prior to this...
Those with the same ideals to awaken others,
Were labelled militants or agitating nationalists.
And everything else derogatory to ignore.
And these were the people making attempts to save humanity!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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