Arrogance

Thorns and thistles shalt be avoided,
and thou shalt reap the fruits of labour.
In the sweat of thy face shalt, thou eat clay
till thou return unto clay. 
In our arrogance, we lost paradise. 

Brothers sacrifice, equal share,
Rejected is a heart of stone.
Envy’s rise, heart of stone strikes kin.
In our arrogance, we killed our brother. 

Vague is the line between envy and lust. 
Crossed was the line, and lust did we, of thou neighbours goods. 
In our arrogance, one took more than one’s needs.

Vague too is the line between need and want.
Cross it too did we, for so was man’s inevitable destiny,
Felled trees bring no shade, as salty water quenches no thirst.  
In our arrogance, we strangled nature of her very last breath. 

Empires rose to power and fell in symphony, or silence.
Power is unquenchable, forever does it thirst. 
Rivers of blood were poured in the name of power.
In our arrogance, we spat God’s creation. 

Claiming to know all there was, we preached rationality
How rational we thought ourselves, as we played God with life.
Pride killed the prideful. 

Lost were the branches of shade, 
Lost was the soft breeze in one’s face,
Lost was the streams in which one bathed. 
Abundant was the scorching sun,
Abundant was the harsh wind,
Abundant was the parched desert. 

Pillaged we did, what was far from ours.
Scorched the earth we did, in our selfish pursuits. 
Failed we did, in presiding over our share.

In our arrogance, we did nothing. 
Man was his own eternal vice.
Arrogance was his downfall.