Kept To Value Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Since gone is respect.
Love of life.
And a gratefulness,
Each day blessed.
But a thoughtfulness,
Many have no time to give it.
Nor overheard expressed.
What is there left,
Kept precious for them to treasure?
Could it be,
Shiny things that bling.
More than life to value?
Hmmm...

Many may have their things,
Wanted seen to impress.
With those accepted impressions made.
And expecting them made.
As others also,
Wish their impressions made...
Receive validation.
Yet...
Integrity,
Has been buried.
Along with substance.
In unmarked graves.
With no one to visit.
Or show with tears cried.
A wish to have had them saved.

And no longer does this upset.
Those of socialite dreams.
Rushing to get as close as possible,
To whomever name drops.
With it craved to hear who they know next.
And holding a cocktail,
To stretch a neck to almost break it.
Hoping their presence,
Is being made by others...
Who would then stare and become aware.

But...
Who brings with them substance.
At such shallow affairs.
And who there cares about kept integrity.
When that was nowhere,
To value and protect or left kept precious.

Kept to value and prioritize.
Are those impressions to make.
Even if it takes,
Discrediting the lives...
Of other human beings.
Doing the best they can,
To just survive.
Their plight does not address,
Nearly as serious...
As the mission of one,
Living with it done.
Just to impress.