Dreams Unto Dust Descend Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

Life begins with love and pain
as mother conceives and gives birth to her child;
as child grows, he plays and learns of joys and toys
as he grows into a man he yearns for victories and triumphs;
as a boy he always dreams to be an athlete
as he runs fast he wins many races;

as he learns, he educates himself
as he matures, he distinguishes between peace and hatred
as he fights and quarrels, he seeks pardon
as he forgives others, he gains understanding and happiness;

as he earns, he begins to squander
as he ages, he begins to get over-ambitious
as he aspires, he becomes richer and richer
as he sins, he enforces crimes and breaches;

as he laughs, he remembers his follies
as he abides by his commitments, he feels generous
as he works, he fills his coffers with wealth and riches,
finally comes those days when knees start shaking
and in that wooden box he goes to rest
after all his adventures on this earth have perished;

as he has caused troubles to others, he has troubled himself
as he has accused and robbed others, he has derogated himself
as he has hidden his guilt, he has lost his moral conscience
now upon the sands of time appears his face
demonstrating his character, conduct and grace;

as his skeletal muscles were so full of flesh and blood
as he made those runs like an athlete to be victorious when young,
as he won and lost, as he lived and prospered,
not even a penny nor a pearl in his hands could he carry,
thus depicting the futility of greed and vagaries
as man's dreams unto dust descend finally.