Race_9togo

Mar 09, 2011 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Truth

Rights are mere excuses
When used for harming others,
never hurting anyone
eases the pain of all.

Relationships are not destroyed
when sacrificing rights,
for real and willing sacrifice
brings family success.

Silence in the face of threat
is civilized forebearance,
pursuing things important
in hearts of one and all
is no tyranny but service.

What is right for none but I
destroys friendships and marriages,
natural rights to courteous respect
mean little in the face
of spiteful nastiness.

Using right to freely speak violates
the lives and hopes of all
when that speech hurts and denigrates,

and gains of living free are empty
when honor starts ignoring truth:
for at the end of all that's said,
none benefit from compassion's dearth.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Region, Country: Earth Vicinity (within a five light-year radius), ZZC

Favorite Poets: John Donne, T.S. Eliot, Serendipity, Emily Dickenson, Kailashana, Charles Bukowski, Kabir, Rett, Dalton, W. B. Yeats, William Blake, Rainer Maria Rilke, and many other Neopoet poets; Neopoet has heavily influenced my poetry and my ability to write it well.

Comments

magics02

14 years 4 months ago

Wow

I really like what this says and right now it is time for me and the verandah. I will be back to give better crit. What I read here is full of TRUTH. And exbounded on in reality. I shall come back Race. I am race-to-go now:)

Magics

Race_9togo

14 years 4 months ago

Yes,

I know why.

Glad you enjoyed it, Oz Lady.

magics02

14 years 4 months ago

I am back

Okay what I was saying here is these are almost like quotes and good ones at that.

This part shines for me:

Using right to freely speak violates
the lives and hopes of all
when that speech hurts and denigrates, (spot on)

and gains of living free are empty
when honor starts ignoring truth: ( you may delete semi-colon)

and I thought this ending line here,

none benefit from compassion's dearth.

Upon first read I thought it to almost say compassions death.

Just my wee take on it and I like it for it speaks to all of us in one way or another and you displayed your feelings and true as they are so freely. Very nice free verse. I hand you a shake on this work. I wish I could be so prolific in my free verse. Great job and thanks for this one. Made me to twink, no I meant think:)

Regards
Mona

I still say you should give it a go for AEC, you have the interest of the site in the right mind. You have my vote.

Race_9togo

14 years 4 months ago

Thank Mona

I am happy that you enjoyed it so much.

Candlewitch

14 years 4 months ago

Wow!

Dear Jim,

This is about the raw truth! I love what you have done with this piece, especially these lines:

and gains of living free are empty
when honor starts ignoring truth:
for at the end of all that's said,
none benefit from compassion's dearth.

love, cat

Race_9togo

14 years 4 months ago

Thanks Cat,

I wrote this in a fit of emotional pique, to drain away some real ugliness that I was feeling.
I'm very glad that you enjoyed this so much!

Race_9togo

14 years 4 months ago

Hi Rosina

Yes, it drained it away entirely. It almost always does, when I write about my own failings, as I did here.
Leaves me feeling rather stupid, too!
LOL
Thanks hun.

Race_9togo

14 years 4 months ago

:)

Thanks Shirl,
How right you are.

Happy you enjoyed the read!

Race_9togo

14 years 4 months ago

Bee

Glad you enjoyed it.
I don't think Truth is strange at all.
But how we interpret it sure can be!
Thanks Bee,