Vanities Poem by Dann Thomas

The priest stood by the grave of the great thinker and said
'Oh wise man why do you gloat in your wisdom, if this is your end? '
Will your knowledge carry you past the dark's eventual embrace,
For the foolish and the wise the grave accepts without a name.
'Will the reason that has been your god, now show its face,
For the vanity of understanding, in death, an earthy silence claims'.

Then the priest stood by the grave of beauty and in a loud voice said
'If this is your end, oh beauty, what will you mirror when you're dead? '
Just as the vines of Charm is deceptive and Beauty is as fleetly,
The pleasure of a youthful reflection is slowly cracked and worn.
When time's laugh lines wrinkle, and ages the youth of its vanity,
Then petals and thorns of the rose forever embrace on cold stone.

And coming to the grave of wealth the priest looked down and said,
'If this is your end oh riches, of what purpose beyond a Will being read? '
How effortlessly the earth puts a shroud over your great authority,
When Your own kingdom bids you farewell and crowns another.
When the vanity of your wealth is silenced for all eternity,
Can all the gold hoarded over the years buy you another summer?

Finally the priest stood by the grave of a little child and said,
'Oh grave what reason do you have for this, so tiny a bed? '
Here wisdom's reason still has not cast a doubt
Here beauty's reflection this little face untempt
Here wealth's unending greed no claim sought out
Here lies innocence untouched by vanity... He wept.