The Playground Of Life XIX

One hour devoted to the pursuit of Beauty

And Love is worth a full century of glory

Given by the frightened weak to the strong.

From that hour comes man's Truth; and

During that century Truth sleeps between

The restless arms of disturbing dreams.

In that hour the soul sees for herself

The Natural Law, and for that century she

Imprisons herself behind the law of man;

And she is shackled with irons of oppression.

That hour was the inspiration of the Songs

Of Solomon, an that century was the blind

Power which destroyed the temple of Baalbek.

That hour was the birth of the Sermon on the

Mount, and that century wrecked the castles of

Palmyra and the Tower of Babylon.

That hour was the Hegira of Mohammed and that

Century forgot Allah, Golgotha, and Sinai.

One hour devoted to mourning and lamenting the

Stolen equality of the weak is nobler than a

Century filled with greed and usurpation.

It is at that hour when the heart is

Purified by flaming sorrow and

Illuminated by the torch of Love.

And in that century, desires for Truth

Are buried in the bosom of the earth.

That hour is the root which must flourish.

That hour of meditation, the hour of

Prayer, and the hour of a new era of good.

And that century is a life of Nero spent

On self-investment taken solely from

Earthly substance.

This is life.

Portrayed on the stage for ages;

Recorded earthly for centuries;

Lived in strangeness for years;

Sung as a hymn for days;

Exalted but for an hour, but the

Hour is treasured by Eternity as a jewel.