A lover of wisdom

Must first love truth

Else wisdom is simply folly.

It has no standard

By which to exist,

No purpose, no import,

And absolutely no risk.

Love of wisdom

that denies existence of truth

Is cowardice called

"the questions and search of youth."

Without truth there is no risk,

for reason and logic

and standards and aim

Do not exist.

For perceptions differ

And questions grow,

And so without truth,

There is nothing you can "know."

Empty, baseless, formless

Become the words we treasure most:

Love, wisdom, goodness,

Honesty, integrity, courage,

Kindness, compassion, hope…

Unbelievable.

The word ringing around me

in clouds of echoes

loudly

proudly

but how can we be so proud

of that which tears us apart

of that which causes us to scorn one another

in scathing testimonials

of our own moral superiority

how can we break out

in defiance

while alienating those

who most need

our guidance

I too ache at the thought

of what has been done

the people cast aside

trod down

turned back

I too mourn the fall of kind and respectful discussion

into brash accusations

and bombastic claims

I too feel

in my body

a little less safe

And I too want to pull

those I trust and love

closer

But can we move forward

can we grow together and grow stronger

by only hearing voices that chorus

in agreement

with our own

I think not

And that is why

every time the word 'unbelievable'

climbs from the recesses of my mind

born of my distrust

and fear

and pain

and sadness,

threatening to spill

from my angered lips

I bite it back

and painstakingly dismantle

the words

I know

are born

out of

hatred

his hatred

and not

my love

lackluster, muster

strength, length

to go, to know

all, and call

for light, the sight

of power, sour

taste, we haste

to find, the kind

is gone, redrawn

the space, to erase

the greed, and seed

belief, and relief

of scorn, too worn

too late

we wait

Tauntingly, He cocked His head to the side - making His broadly intimidating presence even greater. Julius grew smaller, for he found himself tyrannized in this scenario. "It is not you I blame - you must know beforehand. You, despite the wit I drew for you, were tricked by one of the most malice games out there. Admittedly, it is an embarrassment. I crafted you, but your ignorance to the sport of manipulation astounds me," He told him.

"Bu- but, but," he stuttered, "I could never have foreseen. I could have never foreseen such a thing be inflicted onto me. I am a leader! I am respected! I am wise, and educated and powerful!" his words, though being screamed, held little volume in the spacious area.

"Caesar, oh Caesar. Anger never really is gratifying in the end, now is it?” He was not really asking a questioning, rather presenting Julius with no other option but to agree.

“I thought they still supported me. Do not misunderstand me - for I am aware that they were all power-hungry, malicious men. Yet, somehow, I had convinced the nagging thoughts of betrayal to be silenced. I should have let it roared, I should have terminated all of those men,” Julius boomed.

“And how would that have benefited you? In what aspect?” Julius felt Him grew angry, yet he know He was not capable of rectifying human emotions. “You would have had an uproar, anarchy, and would have ended up with same fate. You were meant to die today, yet it was not known how until today, the ides of March,” He stated simply.

Julius sighed, while no longer in his battered form, defeat was evident in all parts of him. He no longer stood as sturdy as the columns, but he was sullen. His age was present in the wrinkles and crevices that decorated his eyes and lips. It was as if an ash, the kind of ash that settled on priceless items that had become disregarded over time, had coated him. His head down, he sighed, “I played into their manipulation, their facade. I cannot believe I am dead now, facing You, the Almighty. Perhaps, I would have not been pathetic if I had not uttered the idle words,  ‘Et tu Brute?’ What a waste of my last words, a contribution to the tale of manipulation. I sure hope I am not quoted with them.”

“Perhaps.”

Inexplicably, he speaks with vulgarity 

he will halt prosperity

he hasn't acquired a sense of clarity

isn't this just a game of popularity

The prejudice is candid

frankly demanded

Right or left, this will not be reprimanded

I'm in a frantic because of his antics!

And in my sincerity

while calling reality

I crown thee

with stomach-churning

a sentiment of burning

President-Elect

That which you spend the most time thinking about, you worship.

author's note:

more to come on the Thought Series, mostly because,

I cannot stop thinking.