Murder, Rape, And Theft

It's in the conduct of our work that murder, rape, and theft,
Are carried out as we pursue our goals, and how they're met;
We do not care who's hurt as we move forward in our life,
So long as we perpetuate our culture – calm or strife.

One fellow said the root of evil can be simply found,
Just look around and notice that two treasures lie around:
We wish to have some status in the world we leave behind,
And hope somehow to last a bit – not just be brought to mind.

As I face spectre of another round of treatment here,
I find those two agendas showing up, becoming dear;
Extended life, significance – what harm in those I ask,
But then recall what we will do to bring those things to pass.

So, in pursuit of longer life, and a meaning in the group,
We step on top of other's throats to yield a bit of fruit;
Or force survival on the race when others bid us no,
And take whatever comes to hand to help us make it so.

I like to think I'm somehow not the same as all the rest –
That I'm a cut above the others, good, or better – best?
But I don't think so, even if I don't fulfill my dreams,
Because my heart desires (as Buddha noted) – so it seems.

The Scripture's word about all this is, “leave it to me, lad –
And all those dreams deep in your heart I'll do, so don't be sad.
The fame and credit won't be yours but, heck, they'll all get done,
And in the process you'll not hurt the others as you run.

“Just keep your life inside that circle there upon the ground –
That beam of spotlight moving forward, though it jiggles round;
As you stay in the circle of that grace-full guiding light,
I'll bring fulfillment to those dreams locked in your heart’s delight.”

For length of days is not a number chart upon the wall
But satisfaction deep inside, ‘it's finished’– big or small –
Those things that for us matter most, in family, self, or world,
We've done our part, at least our best, despite the current's swirl.

As I look ’round I see that two of three things You have said,
Are now complete – the church renewal, and the native-ed;
The one remaining thing you want to finish up through me,
Is hooking up the giver-group with body-life indeed.

Now that's a challenge, I'll admit, away beyond my skill,
And yet I've seen you finish up the other two and still
Have time enough in one short life to do this one last thing,
And so move life together, forward, greater blessing bring.

For murder to First Nations is how whites have gone ahead;
And rape has filled the news again – (of Irish kids, it's said);
And theft of money and resource is our economy –
A house that's built on bigger guns throughout our history.

We view survival of the fittest, strongest if you will,
As how mankind perpetuates itself, and always will;
So push and shove to be the last alive at end of game,
With heightened status bonus for ourselves as crown we gain.

It's not enough to look at self as if it's what we do
As single people – ‘we don't murder, rape, or steal from you’;
We need to look at that, but also standing back a step,
See what we do, have done, as group – and what we may do yet.

For in the group, that's where our status, and are memory lives;
As we perpetuate our species – family living gives
A locus to our being as we start our days on earth,
Then join a larger group for camaraderie and mirth.

We like the culture of our birth whatever it might be;
And when we think of home it's there in mind's eye that we see
The roots of our beginning, base for life, where we return,
And where we must connect if we of better life might learn.

For it's the culture of our birth that matters most to us,
Its errors and its twisted parts that generate the fuss;
It's not the other's culture with their foibles and their sins,
But ours that needs the fixing, and for us the meaning brings.

So, murder, rape, and theft, in other's cultures matters not;
It's in our culture – home to us – the problem that we've got
To now address, here in our lives, if young, or mid-, or old.
To flavour life in all the world, cleanup the one we hold.

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