The Burning Costs Of Life Poem by Michael Walkerjohn

Inspired by Stephen Corbell
and rededicated to Franklin Conrad Paladin
in the hope he will put to pen
the intricate fulness of his knowledge,
of picking fly feces out of ground black pepper...

What is kindled within the thought,
that life, is given willfully
as cost, rather than gift;
and within each
of a life's steps as presently defined,
are costs as such seemingly distributed
not by that gift,
but rather by pretentiously minded societal muses
laughing rudely down
upon those not so guided
by past oppressions against,
or by the oppressors of, their fellow men?

Where within the smoldering flames of life,
is youth decided as that phase
where wrongs
against times long past,
are buried and hopefully forgotten;
not to grow quickly
into a blazing burn back in adulthood,
which exposes to all in this present day,
how, that one single individuals position was won.

Does one pin then,
upon lapel,
cast into an individual
the grant of a higher purpose of success,
or for lesser burdens carried
than his fellow beings;
won of handshakes and secrecy,
not humane valor;
and the wisdom of all common men in time.

If so, then whatever light may burn
upon the face of any man,
is false, weak, and untrue;
when balanced against,
what truly is burning within his spirit,
in his current life.