Excerpt
A Hero and A Great ManWe hang the petty thieves and appointthe great ones to public office- Aesop
They say knowledge is power.Power walks with ambition.Ambition will devourA man without vision.
Through a turbid town,A great man walks.Through a troubled town,A great man talks.
He tells tales of bravery.On attention he feeds.With speech most savoryHe boasts of great deeds.
He is well respected.He enjoys much recognition.He hopes to be selectedFor a prestigious position.
He likes to be seen.He likes to be heard.When he is on the scene,He fills the air with word.
As greatness is a needThis need is his fate.He is as great indeed,As his need to feel great.
One day as he was walking,He happened to overhearTwo girls that were talking.He turned his curious ear.
As their words he overheard,He felt his aid was required.Always attracted to the spoken wordTo the girls he inquired,
“Why do you girls carry onIn such a vociferous way?To you my attention is drawnUpon this beautiful day!!!”
And to him the him girls inquired,“Where does the sun go at night?”He knew an answer was required.But he knew not what was right.
Where it goes, he could not sayAs he covertly looked about.Being a master of delay,He calmly searched for an out.
A man was passing byAnd overheard this conversation.He thought he could supply,A goodly explanation.
Details of this man are unknownFor he lived a life withdrawn.He prefers to be quiet and alone.A common life he has forgone.
You see, he was not like you and me.His methods were strange and new.A different world his eyes would see.A world in which others would have no clue.
Despite his odd looks.He is more then he appears.He has read many books,Yet still wet behind the ears.
Every culture to its own will conform.The mind of the crowd is a shallow creek.As this man was far from the norm,He was seen by the people as a freak.
He values his peace.He is devoted to thought.This is his release.Nothing finer could be bought.
As peace is a needThis need is his fate.Attempting to run from greed,On simplicity he would concentrate.
He never felt the peaceThat he needed to feel.He would never ceaseTo search for what’s real.
If work was completedAccording to plan,It should not be repeatedBy a frustrated man.
The only exceptionFor such repetitionIs the struggle for perfection,Or the folly of a politician.
When he did a deed,When he found satisfaction,He could see no needFor any further action.
If nothing was there brokenOr no deed to be done,No answer to be spoken,Then action was there none.
If there is no disruptionAnd everything seems in balance,Wasteful action is corruptionOf the purest talents.
A problem of complexityNeeds a simple solution.A mind in perplexityIs lost in convolution.
Now for the girls’ question,He felt he knew, really.He had a suggestion,And he offered it freely.
“A weary sun will hideTo give a new night birth.The sun then goes to the other sideOf our blessed Mother Earth.”
The problem seemed to be solved....