The Perfect Brothers

The brothers wished to be perfect
Thomas, Tommy and Tom
Unlike most of us, they got their wish
And so their problems begun

***

Thomas was the eldest of the three
He was perfect, but also proud our Thomas
So he sought the company of a perfect partner
And frankly he would accept nothing less

So he searched and he searched
Able to woo any person he met
Successful every time with the perfect line
But he hasn't found romance yet

All he encountered were the rest of us schmucks
Flawed in almost every way
Blessed with perfect persistence, Thomas continued his quest
And continues in fact to this day

***

Tommy was fun, the middle kid
Always the most popular in a crowd
Enjoyed a laugh or battle of wits
Would seek any attention he was allowed

Soon he found himself the alpha
With people laughing at his every quip
No battle of wits was a challenge
No listener's attention would ever slip

Tommy soon came to realise
That his old tricks had lost their thrill
When you're guaranteed perfection
The craftwork needs no skill

***

Tom was the youngest in many ways
He followed Thomas and Tommy
He saw their highs, and then their lows
And thought "So what's the solution before me?"

Thomas searched for someone else
Who could match up to who he now was
Tommy struggled to adjust
To people who would cheer him, just because

Tom thought long, Tom thought hard
How can a perfect person find purpose?
What is a life without our flaws?
Am I doomed like dear Tommy and Thomas?

***

Tommy and Thomas opened the old classroom door
Seeing Tom for the first time in years
Trying not to interfere with the lecture
They took a seat and opened their ears

"Remember, teachers of the future
Why it is we do what we do
Yes, you improve by teaching others
That is certainly true"

"Yet even the master, with nothing to learn
Can find joy in helping another in their path
It can be frustrating, it may be slow
Watching them take one step, then back another half"

"You must put your trust in their progress
Though I know that is a scary thing
To let them falter as they learn to walk
To hear them stammer as they begin to sing"

"One day, on a distant wonderful day
You will realise they have become your peer
Then, celebrate and rest.
 For a new student will soon appear"

Tom dismissed the class, walked to the back
Took both his brothers in his reach
"Welcome dear brothers, new students
Do not worry, let me begin to teach"


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This was inspired by a writing prompt at https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/lav9pu/wp_perfection_is_boring_you_never_thought_much/, about a person being granter their wish to be perfect. I tried to reflect on what a perfect being could do to find purpose. And I wanted to write about how a perfect being could interact with imperfect people. The first brother seeks an equal, something impossible in the circumstance. The second seeks superiority through competition, which one would surely find lacking. The final realises seeks to elevate others, which I found the most fulfilling of options.