Pride Goeth Befpre Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

The pride of man can be uplifting
it spawns great works and towers tall
but like a coin must have two faces
the darker one will cause a fall

For pride can often be upended
by just one thoughtless word or deed
and like a knife that's pointed inward
can cause the pride of man to bleed

It's hard to find the balm of mercy
when one has mastered fortune's wheel
and some less worthy little fellow
shows up and snaps Achilles' Heel

Ah, bitterness and fuming hatred
can topple all the towers tall
that proud and mighty men of valor
were sure would last and never fall

The face of anger and of vengeance
can spread like virus in the soul
to hurt and damage all around it
and charge a devastating toll

The pride of man can be uplifting
it spawns great works and towers tall
but like a coin must have two faces
the darker one will cause a fall.