Are humans humane?

Are Humans humane?
Or is it just an illusion, a mirage?

Who made the definition, anyway,
You know, of the word, "humane"?

What does it mean?
The word, "humane"?

Use it in a sentence....

"She was humane, the way she..
no
"She was inhumane, the way she...
no
"She did all humanly possible...
no, wrong word,
"He went over to the humane woman...
oh forget it.

Like sometimes we might say,
"That [some heinous act] was inhumane."

But what is heinous anymore?
It seems there are things I think are bad that someone else might find pleasure from.
And vice versa.

So perhaps we need humane definitions,
So that we could refer to the basics when we struggle to be nice.

Maybe each of us may write our own code
of what we think humane is?
How humans should act?

The laws don't seem to mean as much anymore,
When humans do inhumane things and
no one cares.

The illusion of the status of being an humane human,
Do we all fail the test in some way?

If monkeys evolved into humans,
then is it because we call ourselves humane?
Or are humane?
Or want to be humane?

And why are monkeys happy the way they are?
Do they forget about being humane and therein lies their happiness?

And finally,
Why am I surprised still, after 52 years of hearing people do inhumane things?
Is that just being a human?

happy solstice. we are entering the lighter days.
i hope you have a great day if it is at all humanly possible
mary gerdt, monkton, vermont 12.21.2010