Worth It (I)
Man
worth it
with Eden behind, beyond ken
the taste of knowledge upon your lips
you seek ever righteous
to taste Truth no more
Slave
worth it
with wrists unshackled of chains
the warmth of sun, unfettered, upon your brow
you seek ever religiously
new chains to bind you
Woman
worth it
with spirit reclaimed from vows of possession
grass 'neath your feet, wind 'neath your arms
a'flight
you seek ever devotedly
oaths of unswerving ownership of life and love
Child
worth it
with hands released from miser toil
clouds in your eyes, books in your hands
you seek ever entitledly
the privilege of walls and roofs
Royal
worth it
with ascendance to gifted throne
the weight of noble duty clutched to bosom fair
you seek ever carelessly
release from courage
Crat
worth it
upon striking that clamorous bell atop
ladder of effort
you seek ever, without reservation
to strike the hands that lift you to peerless heights,
silent strength
never extolled from lips that owe naught
Victim
worth it
with strings untied from Moirae
the rush of destiny unfurled
you seek ever relentless
entombment within prisons of concrete
Victim
worth it
with strings untied from Moirae
the rush of destiny unfurled
you seek ever relentless
entombment within prisons of concrete
Human
worth it
upon achieving apex status, on a rock
in a galaxy, orbiting a star
the sun
the sun
you seek ever shamelessly
to orbit your selves
Man
Slave
Woman
Child
Royal
Crat
Victim
Victim
Human
if
upon the mirror of truth
you gaze
thereupon
reject
are you worth it?
For no wealth more precious be
than
the truth
the mirror
me
Alas
Sycophant
worth it
with flowing cornucopia sprawled upon your lap
weight of labor shed from backs broken
you seek ever ardently
burdens invisible, no less beastly and unbearable
Ist
worth it
with fervent promise of Ever of Olde, verily
rapturous fulfillment
you seek ever zealously
to terrorize others
thereby denying joy
to you and all
thereby denying joy
to you and all
Warrior
worth it
with covenant of blessed sanctity
allure of sacred trumpet, glorious fanfare, medal of metal base
you seek ever militantly
virtuous execution with sword of judgment, by which
you sever your self from certain divinity
Sycophant
Ist
Warrior
one and all
Patriot of Belief
but
if
upon the face of humanity
you gaze
thereupon
destroy
are you worth it?
It's rare that I get to be the first to congratulate you on one of the most substantial literary works of our times but let me be the first to say that this is without a doubt a piece that will stand the tests of time and will hopefully be read in the future where we are all one family pursuing the betterment of each other through truth and love.
ReplyDeleteI marvel at the first and second part of this poem. That which we are and that which we can become when we allow ourselves to forget the five pillars. I think all should read this carefully and then read the other part and then read them in reverse order. You will come away with what should be, "The Message."
It's becoming...increasingly... common... One might... think... you are... hitting... refresh... 24x7...
DeleteRegardless... This is equal... to The Butcher and the Lake... and when read together... you walk away with... what life should... be... and what we need... in order... to step away from... the edge... together....
Great job!
Amazing how when one loses themselves in the crowd of the sycophant condition that one then finds themselves screaming with the rest of the ists condemning all that is not like them and finally find themselves strapping on as the warrior ready to prove how might makes right and theirs is the only right.
ReplyDeletePowerful lines in poems should always give someone pause to wonder whether you are being swept away with the tide of hatred and whether its worth it to remain in the realm of the damned.
That sounds very Emerson like:
DeleteBut how can he be honoured, when he does not honour himself; when he loses himself in the crowd; when he is no longer the lawgiver, but the sycophant, ducking to the giddy opinion of a reckless public; when he must sustain with shameless advocacy some bad government,...
Does that not sound like the time we live in with the people vying to represent and govern us?
I have always been partial to CS Lewis:
DeleteWe must picture hell as a state where everyone is perpetually concerned about their own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives with the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment.
That quote came to mind as I read this the third time after reading the Butcher and the Lake and then the second part of this.
I've always been partial to:
DeleteA lot of people want to be assistants to celebrities. If you're pursuing that, you're an idiot. You're a moron. The shortest distance between two points is not a celebrity, or being next to a celebrity.
Quoting CS Lewis is an interesting choice when one is asleep and the computer is open and free. I might have chosen Whitman or someone of that school.
DeleteLean in has new meaning to me after reading the Crat bit. I might never, ever use that saying again in my life when I think about the person that destroyed the very concept of it.
ReplyDeleteA saying is a saying but a philosophy of meaning and substance is a way of life and freedom. The problem with Lean in and other micro movements is that the focus on the small pieces and thus one never sees or experiences the bigger picture. Think about that as you read Worth it
DeleteWell said...
DeleteIs it not a bit mind blowing to think that we all received gifts when we came into this existence and then proceeded to... break the !@#$ing gift and !@# !@#$ the gift giver.... and then... and then... ask for a new !@#$ing gift... Incredible.
ReplyDeleteThat is a... very... unique way of... looking at this...
DeleteUnique but there is an inherent truth there.
DeleteA hidden meaning here and one for us all to ponder is the famous saying:
ReplyDeleteDeath isn't sad. The sad thing is: most people don't live at all.
It makes me wonder if many of us are doomed to live the same lifeless life over and over again.
False platitudes and empty rhetoric equates to words of praise that are vacant of genuity.
DeleteI am not normally a fan of such great poetry being made into song but I think that the whole world would be better for this one finding its way into rap or pop.
ReplyDeleteMy only request, find someone that is true...
Great poem.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to remember that a truly great warrior is also a scholar, a poet, an artist, and most of all is without a side other than allkind.
The worst mistakes to make for humanity's sake is acting prematurely without thought or fairness and letting opportunities to make us all better slip by. Truly great warriors treat each situation as if it were unique and never resort to one-sided arguments or other people's opinions.
ReplyDeleteHumanity's worst mistake is forgetting to be humane, kind, and honest. Followed quickly by a desire to worship false idols that separate people into camps instead of bringing them together.
DeleteThis reminds me of:
ReplyDeleteCourage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.
But you made that thought better by adding the truth and brotherhood to it. Let all read and know what courage really is. Thank you.
True warriors rarely... call themselves a... Warrior.
DeleteRarely has a poem more clearly conveyed life and the perils of choosing to make one group more important than that of another. Thank you for the magnificent poem which like many I hope will be used to promote what brings us together instead of these things that can rip us apart.
ReplyDeleteReading this makes me realize that I have got my priorities all wrong despite receiving so many gifts. Thankfully there is still time to change but it's definitely not a tomorrow thing, it's a today thing.
ReplyDeleteWow! To view your time on Earth by your cause and righteous fervor and to measure yourself as being worthy; only to read this and realize that you are not only not worthy but have strayed far off course is very... humbling. Thank you for a thoughtful and charitable piece of humanity. I gave this to my pastor so that he could share it with others.
ReplyDelete