One’s Rock

Integrity,
once of hardness,
forged by aging magmatic knowledge,
knows to become wisdom,

astuteness must overcome being threatened.

Why is it…

Fire burns today not by nature's will,
not by an alert sense over nonsense,
but as a societal-matchstick hastily
struck to ignite aspiring power
of reckless ego that scorches paths,
spurning consequence?

How come…

As children, we are told
“don't play with fire,”
knowing how quickly youth forgets?

Is it true …

Few grow up with discernment,
often recklessly defying learning experiences
into adulthood ignoring one's personal campfire
carelessly gathering kindling,
like pick-up-sticks of innocence
begging to be taught,
yet ignited with the hot breath of ignorance,
fanned by habitual schoolyard arrogance,
choosing to live out conceit’s flagrant hubris run amuck?

Can we afford to forget…

Our ashes of error

exist not without memory,
patiently awaiting re-purposing

into new growth,

organic dust for the next iteration?

And so it goes.

Nature’s cycling comes back around,
provides tomorrow’s nourishment and cover,
understanding explorations require time
for truth to emerge amongst tangled mass,
knowing there have never been flames of ice,
nor rock without molten birth.

Hopefully, the time is near
when our species will again
awaken weary senses,
see and smell the air,
know that threatening winds
also fan attention of our personal fires,
spark awareness into accountability,
create the heat of integrity’s reward,
and finally…

reform one’s rock.