Statutes of Virtue

Many of us will not succeed, as the way
Home is fraught with dangerous traps
But there are those among us who
Carve out a destiny for themselves
They are the saints, and
Angels of this place
They achieved their mission
Although they may not agree
For the world is still a work in progress

Virtue is so important; any
One of us could find ourselves
In the place of another
To be born male or female
Light or dark skinned
It is virtuous to put yourself
In the situation of another
To be a brother, or sister
To anyone at all
We are capable of this, and so much more
We can understand the responsibility
That has been bestowed, upon all of us
Custodians of a beautiful world
Let us not ruin our birthright
Virtue is innate to the name of our race

Enlightenment comes from
Glimpsing the truth about salvation
We seek it for ourselves, only to learn
That it cannot be gained in this way
But this truth does not come without a gift
For we realize that enlightenment
Must be given to be received
This is the core source from
Which all virtue derives
The end of one's own path is not
The end; it is the beginning of a new
Path toward universal salvation
We all must go together
If any are to go at all
This is the only way
It is our way home

We are suspended somewhere
Between heaven and hell
Nearly adequate economies have
Arisen in the developed world
Medicines help us live relatively
Healthy lives, far into our years
But there is no collective agreement
Upon meaning, or purpose in life
The potential for unified vision
Remains unfulfilled; our survival
Is far from guaranteed

There is still much violence today
War has not been extinguished
And oppression is very much alive
We must continue to solidify the dream
For peace, until all corners of the world
Are free from savagery
This is an attainable goal
Although there is much to be
Improved upon with our imperfect
World, we have come far in
Such a short period of time
So many advances have taken
Place, and it is common these
Days to hear how everyday people
Are striving to improve the planet
Everyday people
Such an untapped resource

Conscience is strong among much of
The populace: voting with our dollars
We support companies that represent
Our humanitarian interests
Saving the world
Saving the environment
Our unsung heroes are too
Numerous to mention
Let us all come together in a
Show of support for what's right

And so I say thank you
Dedicating your life
To social justice
Altruism is your calling, you
Are the guardians, and you
Surround us with your blessing

Some of you go beyond what is
Thought possible; for example
Those who cannot see
You remain steadfast and loyal
To compassion for others
Befriending everyone, and giving
Generously of your spirit
You make it clear that eye
Sight is not required to see
Your vision is accurate

Heroes come in many forms, like
Our veterans living on the street
With kindness you give back
And show us that home is
Finding purpose and meaning
The journey lies within, and the
Destination is worth fighting for

I hope that you are well now
Wherever you may be; we
All may walk different paths
But our commonalities outweigh
Our differences; have faith

Women leaders are a very powerful force
I will follow you, as you show me
The value of natural wisdom
Displaying skill in discernment
And keen analysis
Compassion; compromise
I understand that the forests and
The seas hold many secrets for those
Who are willing to listen attentively
And your nature is so much more than this

You have displayed endless
Patience with male leadership
Peace has not yet come
Conquest and tyranny have been the
Norm for most of human existence
It is time for women to
Lead and show us all the
Sustainable alternative
Change must come; and
When it does, we must
Support it wholeheartedly

Let women take the lead
Like narrow shafts of light shining
Through, delicate and imbued
With the source of creation
Cradling life with a touch of grace
I've seen such care in only one other
Place: the arms of a mother
Her awareness of what's needed
Is what is needed most

Let youth take the lead
They are willing to bleed for justice
To be done, and haven't yet begun
To settle in the ways of the world
The sins of the father are
Fought against by those
With time on their side
They see what needs to be done
Our world truly belongs to them
And their dreams shall carry us all
Into the future

Let other ethnicities take the lead
The color of skin does not begin
To show character that lies within
For virtue knows no physical bounds
Virtue is blind to color, and some have
Been held down for far too long; it's
Time that they engineer our song

With time, you can become
What you seek to be
Life is a garden
Nurture the seed over the course
Of your life, and years from now you
Will come to know the destiny that
You have dreamt of all along
Change is hard, but
It is not impossible
Discipline is important
But go easy on yourself
You will lead us to a better
World, I know that you will
For you have seen the vision, and
You are willing to do what it takes
So don't lose sight of your purpose
Now that you have found it
Patterns form habits, and habits are
Strong; show us, that we all belong
Do good deeds, and carry on
With endless care, confide your
Soul to the world outside; and
You will be loved in return
But do not do so for the riches made
Or you will surely undertake a course
That strays from the path so true
I believe in you, and you should too

The world has always been a work in progress
And we are still striving to reach
Peace, Equity, Virtue, and Love for all