Vacant Of Integrity Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Believing in one's hype to receive,
Can leave one suffering eventually...
Entrapped within a limited and bloated,
Ego.
Proving that a diet on thoughtlessness,
And self importance...
Will start to show,
A mind beginning to sicken.
From too much time spent consuming,
On false praise.
And mediocre efforts produced repeatedly,
Just for the attention mentioned one gets.

These bubbles filled with hot air,
Don't float too long to stay anywhere.
They burst to pop and drop very fast.
To witness a popularity does not last.
And snaps suddenly from a high,
That quickly returns them back to Earth.
Where they find themselves unexpectedly,
Feeling empty of purpose and worthless.
Vacant of integrity only having humility,
Can return.
Once the meaning of it felt is understood,
To understand...
That the significance of what one does to do,
Sustains to maintain the quality of it.
If the endeavor intended was there,
For all to remember the effort made.
Long after the feeding of one's ego leaves.

Many think it is about 'them'.
And not the benefit of the 'work' left behind,
That becomes discovered to treasure.

'This is some exquisite, delicious stuff.
The quality. The subtle nuances. The integrity.
All of it. Screaming with love and devotion.
Who created this timeless work of art? '

~You got me.
I don't know.
I agree. It is breathless. Mindblowing.
We must make it our business to find out.
Where is the curator of this exhibit? ~

'Keep your voice down.
Oh. Here is the name of the artist.
With 'bio' right here.
Almost hidden. As if an after thought.
As if embarrassed to be this great.'

~I can't.
I wont keep my voice down.
This stuff should be at the entrance.
At least on the first floor.~

'Calm down.
Geeeessshhh.
You act as if you've never seen anything,
Like this before.'

~And, I suppose you have? ~