Paupers

 

Let us look to our fellow man

live not in hopes that have been

Are we so different each of us

that we cannot feel for fellow kin

 

Let not your best friends live with want

fill lives with endless flavor

Always take much less than you give

as then you will know Gods favor

 

Let no vain hope deceive your mind

our short lives hastened streams be

Doomed in end to fall apart

like spent waves return to the sea

 

As with all the humble rivers roll

death will level property and pride

Awaiting providence and time

rich and poor sleep side by side

No claim to copyright fair usage assumed.

Author's Note

Are we not afraid of the thought that we are no better?

Reviews

[Workvio]

Your heart has penned a beautiful piece of poetry that speaks to all those of tender heart and compassion ... And ...Yes, sadly we, as mankind, the Human Race, are afraid of the very thought, of admitting and facing the fact that we are no better than any other person on the planet ... Instead, we prefer to find some way to assert ourselves as better, in a position above, than others ... To quote myself from my article Is God Illogical As Hell?, there is an all too present and active, "character flaw in human nature that causes men to assert and believe that they are somehow better than others and, hence: more sophisticated; more refined; more civilized; more worthy; more deserving; more holy; more righteous; more intelligent; more knowledgeable, more wiser, more cunning; more deceiving; and more willing to take what they need or want from those unable to stop them." ... I believe this character flaw, fatally intrinsic to mankind, is the true cause of war, not religion as so many today attest in their anti-religion atheistic fervor ... Now, I am not a Christian, nor am I Muslim ... I am also not observant of Orthodox Judaism, though my personal beliefs are Hebrew in nature and orientation ... At the same time, I am a Freethinker, willing to set all I believe, all I have ever believed, aside in search of truth, even if such truth should conflict with truths I have held sacred all my life ... I value truth above all else ... In seeking after truth, I am a fan of the Human Race, for there is only one race of mankind upon this earth, and that is the Human Race ... There are people of different complexions, different languages, different cultures, different customs, different traditions, different nations, different religions, etc., but regardless of all of our differences in being so differently different, I firmly attest that there is only one race of mankind upon planet Earth: The Human Race. In attentively attesting all that I so vehemently attest, I also attest that there is, must be, a "Creator of all that is and will ever be: God--An Ultimate Creative Source Point Of Origin Of All Existence," as per my article, Guess God's Gone Golfing ... Quite obviously the beauty of your poem and the message that speaks of compassion and love towards your fellow man, in not thinking oneself better or above others, has inspired me to a spasm of babbling about things very dear to me ... Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece ...

[Tate Morgan]

Marvin thank you I too am one who believes in the human soul. I wish I could live to see our species get through their infancy. Sadly we are so self destructive. i hold all kinds of ideas on god. But i do not ascribe to the ideals I was weened on in Christianity. I wrote one called "My God" that questioned everything i ever was taught. He is to me not responsible nor can he be sited as in favor of any of our darker traits.That said we are far removed from the truth But as i see it . The question posed "Are we our brothers keeper?". Or do we simply mouth the words"There by the grace of God go I"? Time has a way of wearing us down. The old recriminations seem to ring out hollow as we ourselves become polished by the winds of time. In that end we see that love shines bright upon the simple truths of life. We find that one thing that makes life so worth the pain, that of unconditional love of another that both grants us the strength and grace to struggle on.

[Workvio]

Wise words well said, my new friend ... I am convinced that religion can and does serve a somewhat useful purpose in giving a foundation of hope and peace to our lives ... And so I hold to some beliefs inside the that quiet corner of my heart, but with my mind that attempts to think reasonably and logically, I confess that if the true Creator of every thing that is and will ever be (favorite words of mine) has taken the time, in ancient times past, to personally reveal Himself to mankind, then that revelation of His Personification, and His Character has likely been altered, intentionally or not, by the tampering hand and exaggerating tongue of man ... As author Robert Eisenman states it: In those ancient days when some important event (i.e. a miracle) took place it was purposefully exaggerated to insure that the event would not be forgotten but remembered always, BUT something very real did take place to initiate the exaggeration of a true event ... So, I live my life (also raised in a Christian home but always questioning things that do not gee haul in the New Testament) in hopes that God of Israel is an accurate account in hopes that there truly may be some sort of resurrection from the dead, while facing the very real reality that when this life is over that may well be all there is and was ever intended to be ... So and thus, what we do now in this life with this life for the lives of others is the only things that we can prove truly matters and has any lasting value ... All else is based upon hopes that cannot be proven until we lie in the grave--far to late to make any adjustments in the thinking and holding of our personal beliefs, having arrived at, The Road To Too Soon (my latest article on this very topic) ... I hope to have many good conversations with you in the future, and recommend to you a very good friend and a Freethinker, Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU, a prolific poet and distinguished gentleman ...

[Tate Morgan]

While i see the bible as a sort of history book of the Israelites.I find it has meaning to us today It proves the value of kinship .If we ever get past the divisions of humanity I will be happy. The one truth is that we all love the memory of home. and the days when we grew so tall and strong beneath the shelter of loved ones. As in the times of the ancient mariner we all hear the call of sirens that gesture us to sail home. Continuity of purpose flows from the wellspring of our lives. In the end we all find we are drawn inexorably home, to the hearth from around which we told our tales of long ago and spun our yarns of a life well lived. The well spent life will always beckon from the winds of change a call for home. "Only Earth bound man still clings to the dark and poisoning superstition. That his world is bounded by the nearest hill. His Universe ends at river shore. His common humanity is enclosed in the tight circle of those who share his town or his views or the color of his skin."
Robert Kennedy

[D Connolly]

This is a great poem and I think the last 2 stanzas are my favorite because they tell universal truth. We love to pretend that we are better or worse than someone else. Understanding that we are all the same in the important things is the key. We all want to live comfortably and safely, we all experience love and fear and sadness and happiness. Empathy has been sorely lacking from what I've seen (globally, politically)

[Tate Morgan]

You point out a truth I often lament empathy is a learned traight we are not born with it and lacking the teaching society suffers thank you

[Miss Sharon]

Beautiful write Tate...and so poignant for this time in our history. Love these lines...( Always take much less than you give as then you will know Gods favor. ) Very true! ~Sharon

[Tate Morgan]

Awe thank you Sharon I'm touched

[Miss Sharon]

As am I! ~Sharon

[B]

If one can relate to another
and receive way less than giving

then that is truly a life worth living :)

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Nisreen thank you Yeah i believe that a intrinsic value of the true human soul i thank you dear

[E G TEN]

Hello Tate, such words of wisdom and Truth of life, you
have written here, so true that it hurts.. for I have
Loss friends with true value, penned out of focus,
And precious Time a wasted .

So ill be the one to apologize for all our actions
And is willing to put an end to all this madness.
And write freely and move on. I speak for all
My friends , and the rest is all up to them.

Thank You
E G TEN

[Tate Morgan]

Well that is a good thing. We are here to share our thoughts our minds our emotions and talents. I too lost many a friend.I never lost one by choice or malice but by regret. Thank you

[Jerome F Knox III pseud..]

OK...forgive me of my honesty, however knowing that this was your humble beginning I can truly say now you have grown into a well polished writer that I admire.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Rico

[Jerome F Knox III pseud..]

I thought the opening stanzas were awkward and the end rhyme forced although I knew what you were trying to say. From that point forward the poem redeemed itself and delivered the gentle yet poignant message we have come to expect.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Rico this was a poem I wrote many years ago when I first began writing it is probably the 3rd poem i ever wrote . As you can see it took a while to learn the craft Thank you

[daniel lee johnson]

Great poem and I love the song too. Anytime I see a picture like the one of the old man, I always see that person as myself.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi daniel i agree it also makes me think of myself Thank you

[melissa]

Tate your poems are amazing keep up the great work i can't wait to read more

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Melissa I am humbled

[melissa]

You're welcome

[FrancescaX]

I would say, it is only in the grave that the rich dine with the poor and it is only in the cemetery that the poor dress as the rich...in dust. I like your poem because you do not bother to hide its meaning with allusions or similes or metaphors. It is a lovely write and I like it a lot. Some certain groups of humans need a shocker...and your poem is simple enough to push them.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you I hardly ever use metaphors I myself like the simple truths of life and poetry

[FrancescaX]

I would say, it is only in the grave that the rich dine with the poor and it is only in the cemetery that the poor dress as the rich...in dust. I like your poem because you do not bother to hide its meaning with allusions or similes or metaphors. It is a lovely write and I like it a lot. Some certain groups of humans need a shocker...and your poem is simple enough to push them.