Measure Of A Man Poem by Robin Benton

Measure of a Man


The measure of a man in this land

is the money he possesses

Not the deeper recesses

of his mind or soul...

What other way to know the measure of a man?

Compassionate use of accumulated wealth

has historically evaded those who have acquired by stealth

Better to give than receive is a lost concept

lost to personal greed.

Now it is the belief in me-myself-and I

only on egocentricity can I rely

is the measure of a man in this land.

Is this the measure of a true man?

First World-Second World-Third World designations

have been used by exploiters with no reservation.

Taking from the poor to give to the rich, what would Robinhood say?

'aint that a b#^%h'...

Well, I know what I say about all I see

it's time to give to him before he takes from me.

now don't misunderstand my words velocity

it's just that I believe in reciprocity.

I've taken the lessons of destruction

and lesson in pain

of historical misinformation and immoral gain

I've seen the social sickness

of the loss of self

I've felt the imposition of ignorance by someone else

and again I ask, What is the measure of man in this land?

By all measure and manifestations of belief

it's what you can take

and who you can deceive........