The Wrath of Dignity

By Cathy Buburuz

On Mystic Mountain
far beyond the racial boundaries,
polluted waters and desecrated lands of lesser men,
three elders of Bakhau
pass the sacred pipe,
cleanse their thoughts
with blessed smoke;

Dignity, the eldest of the three,
passes the pipe to Respect who, in turn,
passes it to Humility,
a ritual to be repeated many times
during the world's longest night;

With aged, yet sensitive, hands
Dignity takes up the scroll
breaks the seal
reads aloud the sacred words
of their ancestors:

"Come they will
on the morning
of their century's demise
led by the bearded one, Dignity,
wisest of the wise,
to cleanse the bowels of this earth
the waters to the depths
the dementia of humanity;
And left to their judgement
shall be the method,
the element of their wrath;

Humility was the first to respond:

"It is prophesy that dictates the task
but we who choose the method,
give birth to the end."

Respect shook his head in agreement:

"And the conclusion must be based
on the clearest of shared views."

In tribute to the directions of wind
the pipe was passed four times four
then Dignityd their window to the world,
shared his third of the vision:

"I see the tears of humanity,
a morbid acid-wash of crime and obscenity;
cry they must for they have traded my gift
for damnation of money and power."

Respect rose from the holy circle
stood tall to observe his vision,
the warped faces of those who had traded
gifts for lies, deception and debauchery:

"They lose my gift, not through others,
but through themselves."
Slowly, carefully, Humility raised his head,
d his eyes to the death of his gift to mankind.
Through flooded eyes he look at the others and said:

"Many lifetimes ago
a father sent his only son
to walk this earth
and having witnessed firsthand
diseased minds of humanity
pleaded with his father to
'forgive them for they know not what they do.'
I say to you, Dignity and Respect,
the time for forgiveness is dead."

"Agreed," said Respect.

"Agreed," echoed Dignity.

And the three cried tears
that evaporated into the heavens
and were swallowed by an unknown god
who made a covenant with them,
promised a world free of sadness
where no man would cry,
where no man would know
the meaning of tears.

The three agreed on the element
and with Dignity in the lead
they left Mystic Mountain,
entered the place
where humanity awaited their wrath.

It was Dignity who lit the torch.

About the Author.

Back to the top of this page.