Due Respect

Talk to me about refinement

I want to have a discussion

The discordance around us

Facilitates my scenario

 

It’s for the better they like to tell me

But I like to think about purity

The unrefined thought behind the pesticides

Manufactured by deceitful minds

 

I want to have a discussion

But no one likes the words I say

They hold baited breath for the next pause,

Just listen

 

Tell me more about this quality

You desperately seek to isolate

I want to hear the side effects

I want to see this so called progress

 

I like to think what it was

Is what it should be

No need for tampering

Pristine in its current place

 

But we all have something

Locked down inside

We want to find it

Harness it

Enslave it

And make it the only real substance left

 

Cut out the excess, cut out the beauty

Remove the pieces that don’t facilitate the need

The chemical desire innately built within

Just listen

 

The thought may have been pure once too

A desire to better a species

Or some similarly noble phrase

But it eventually leads to a form of excess

 

The route to the source is entitlement

Undeniably given the right to our actions

Demanding respect for crimes

Or worse yet for nothing at all

 

Tell me about this entitlement

Tell me about your due respect

I think I can help you understand

If you were willing to listen

 

They want to say that respect is given

Unconditionally to all

Present in speech present in action

Given to all, a form of self satisfaction

 

But you water down meaning

By doling out doses

To undeserving masses

Palm up mouth wide

 

You refine courtesy to grandiose proportions

You see respect, I think, is earned not given

To those who deserve either through action

Or moral or thoughts

Not through mere existence

 

Demanding respect without any action

Seems like a waste of time

But he tries to tell me

That this is common courtesy

To dole out respect to whomever he meets

 

I believe that this is earned

And to hand out unjustly is nearly a crime

12/27/2012

0728

Reviews

[MOON]

Insightful write , ethics and integrity seems lost in time. Yet people demand respect but there actions says otherwise. Excellent write.

[K.C. Zbryk]

I agree with you entirely. Without ethics or intregrity how can anyone expect to gain respect? Thank you for reading.

[Frieda P]

Government came to mind immediately, but I guess it's grasp is much wider. Truth and respect go hand in hand, I have to respect people that are passionate about a cause even if I don't agree with it. Really like this one.

[K.C. Zbryk]

The government is a great example, but this conversaton / debate revolved around being polite or courtious and respecting someone. He was saying i should respect everone i meet and i was saying that being polite was all that was necessary. he never got the difference.. But thank you for reading!

[K.C. Zbryk]

And a passionate person always deserves respect.

[Frieda P]

People have to earn our respect.

[.]

Wow! You've brilliantly articulated something that I'm dying to say to a lot of people--especially on this site. I'm also amazed at how beautifully you arrive at the last line. Yes, respect is earned and if handed out just like that "is nearly a crime". Just look at how this crime manifests on this site. Some of the "most respected" writers are a horror story. It's all very unfortunate.

[K.C. Zbryk]

Im so glad that you enjyed this poem my friend, and yes a lot of respected people are a horror story. Look at politicians, actors, athletes, musicians. How many do we glorify that are simply self destructing constantly. If we give these people respect then we tell others thats what deserves respect... But thank you for reading.

[.]

Yes! Absolutely. We should stop setting standards of what to respect unless we're absolutely sure that the people we're validating are not self-destructing. And, you're very welcome.