To choose or not to choose

that is the question

The belly of humanity drags

across despoiled earth,

bloated guts grown huge

on greed and fear. So does

---

the beast of Man slouch in

sullen ignorance with iron feet

tearing at the skin of Unus

Mundus, oblivious to the cries

---

of suffering, of need, of grief.

So we have become the evil

that we feared, drowning in

our craven silence, sucking

---

still on the teat of childish

need, refusing to grow up

and stand for principles of

justice, rule of law, human

---

rights and common decency;

as angels weep in quiet corners

at weakness and our cowardice.

Such is the way of humans,

---

given so much and wasting even

more, because we let Fear rule

our hearts and minds, betraying

all, and ourselves most of all as

---

we creep through life in timid

foolishness, when it was decreed

we had the power to stand strong.

And from the corridors of Mind

---

come the whispers: Who

are we meant to be? What

are we called to become?

How can we grow into the

Best of ourselves? What

---

Meaning can we find in

this suffering? Where can

we find our soul? And eternity

nods in solemn agreement,

---

willing us to grow beyond

what we have chosen to be.

Without choosing to be other

we remain in the stagnant

---

pond of fear and mediocrity.

And it is a choice. Free will is

a gift of grace, too readily lost

at the most terrible cost.

© R.Ross