Kindness, Freedom, Honesty, Courageby Charles Carreon
June 12, 2019
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHTYOU ARE REQUIRED TO READ
THE COPYRIGHT NOTICE AT THIS LINK BEFORE YOU READ THE FOLLOWING WORK, THAT IS AVAILABLE SOLELY FOR PRIVATE STUDY, SCHOLARSHIP OR RESEARCH PURSUANT TO 17 U.S.C. SECTION 107 AND 108. IN THE EVENT THAT THE LIBRARY DETERMINES THAT UNLAWFUL COPYING OF THIS WORK HAS OCCURRED, THE LIBRARY HAS THE RIGHT TO BLOCK THE I.P. ADDRESS AT WHICH THE UNLAWFUL COPYING APPEARED TO HAVE OCCURRED. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE RIGHTS OF COPYRIGHT OWNERS.
Inner ideals like these
Take expression in heroic forms
That stand against the humbling forces
Of time and things,
That challenge the joy of our spirit
And tax us with sufferings.
So Hercules and Vajrapani
equally serve the imagination
That wishes to strive
Against the heavens
And earth, to show what
Humanity is worth,
To us, to ourselves, we who strive
While alive.
But stories too often told
Make mice of men
Who once were bold
And worship of the ancestors
Weakens the present generation
If it takes not up the challenge
Of its own time
So take your place in this great
procession,
Guide yourself with confidence.
The footsteps of past generations –-
We cannot walk in them
Any more than we can
wear their sandals.
What was past is dust
And the present is upon us.
We cannot wait for Great White Brothers
Saviors, any species of others,
To rescue us from confusion.
To hope otherwise is delusion.
There is no bank of certainty,
All notions are but currency
Built on our own faith and credit.
The face on the dollar is our own
When we need more belief
We give ourselves a loan.
Virtues? Bring them out in yourself;
Don’t beg for them from on high.
To place them out of your reach
Is thriftless and unwise.
Let generosity strengthen your arms,
And kindness fill your eyes.