Making Your Man

As a young private in military training 
The soldier who was sharpest made the man
Taken off the guard roster that day
No guard duty that shift would you stand

When your name appeared on the roster
Boots highly spit-shined and uniform pressed 
Every man jack among us showing our pride 
Competition always brought about the best

Long ago the military had come to know
When every soldier looked good on post
The unit having duty was well represented 
Reaching above the standard achieved most

Other organizations their own way
Not competing but making their own man
Without standards or true measure 
A dynamic they want always the plan

This creation of theirs at times unaware 
Against what needed quality did they compete
No idea why they were chosen above others
What requirements did they alone meet

Were they one in a thousand selected
If so how was someone able to decide
Or were they no different than the masses
On what basis do the deciders abide

In many instances this is just how it is done
Some grow tired of playing the game
Many so afraid to face the bitter truth
They’ve all bought into a lie just the same

We can have no metric without competition 
Best of the best cannot rise to the demand
The standard lowered to whatever is desired
Only a poor system makes its own man 

JBentley-05Feb2024