Feed The Ego Poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar

Stomach needs food; so does ego.
Stomach and ego not to starve;
Unlike stomach, ego enlarges
Like a balloon with feeding on.

Respects and reputes feed ego;
Greed and power too do the job.
Knowledge and skills feed one's ego;
Hunts and conquests too do the job.

Showing mercy is ego's food;
Taking revenge too does the job.
Being humble is ego's food;
Causing fear too is ego's food.

Earning goodwill and gratitude
Is a good source of ego's food.
Listening to your conscience
Is a soothing bed for your ego.

Pride is the food of luxury.
Being useful is the rich pride.
To keep promise is the high pride.
To fear shame is the noble pride.

Pride is the fiber of the muscles.
Pride is the nerve of the body.
Rigidity is its character.
Flexibility is its potentials.

With others in mind feed ego;
With the past in mind feed ego.
Find a ground for ego to browse;
It need not be vast at high cost.
17.12.2014