“I distrust the extremes. Scratch a conservative and you find someone who prefers the past over any future. Scratch a liberal and find a closet aristocrat.”
Frank Herbert

God Emperor of Dune

Purpose

Published: September 3, 2008
n

From bitter searching of the heart,
Quickened with passion and with pain
We rise to play a greater part.
This is the faith from which we start:
Men shall know commonwealth again
From bitter searching of the heart.
We loved the easy and the smart,
But now, with keener hand and brain,
We rise to play a greater part.

The lesser loyalties depart,
And neither race nor creed remain
From bitter searching of the heart.

Not steering by the venal chart
That tricked the mass for private gain,
We rise to play a greater part.
Reshaping narrow law and art
Whose symbols are the millions slain,
From bitter searching of the heart
We rise to play a greater part.

F. R. Scott (1899-1985), “Villanelle for Our Time.” Performed by Leonard Cohen

This entry was posted in AltEco, Enjoy, Expanding, Featured, inside, outside. You are welcome to read 6 comments and to add yours

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