Cruelty amongst humanity knows no boundaries
The web it weaves can ensnare the utmost virtuous
Taunting the innocent with opportune dismay
Empowering the guilty with trials less arduous

It poaches the confidence of assaulted daughters
And teaches them to be vigilant in the shadows
It inhibits the ambitions of disgraced sons
And strips them of a namesake honor to bestow

It diminishes the strength of steadfast fathers
And lures them into an early grave
It tangles the tongues of resilient mothers
And reminds them of how a lady must always behave

It wretches the prudent minds of aging elders
And strips their wisdom of assured securities
It nurtures the latent virtues of newborn babes
And fouls their formative bonds with impurities

Every living being inherits the ability to be cruel
Fostering a hidden potential for mass destruction
Guided by the kaleidoscopic vision of their ideals
Awaiting a fractured moment to reveal its seduction

We walk through this life with luminous choices
Exasperated by the moral dilemma of conscripted blindness
To follow the footsteps of those whose light has diminished
Or stray towards the radiant uncertainty of kindness

The burden of mankind is to be benevolent in moments of despair
A decision we must carefully consider in the matrix of rage
As we weep with grief in the fading memory of happiness
As we learn to forgive in the comforting arms of endless pain

Where one is callous, be compassionate
Where one is cowardly, be courageous
Where one is dishonorable, be distinct
Where one is greedy, be generous

In a world where a sunny day can be marred by fallen ash
In a society where a wayward glance can shut eyes forever
In a life where survival only befits the hungry
In a reality where your dreams may never endeavor

Be proud of your wrinkles, sunspots, and scars
Your graying hair, stiffening limbs, and maturing mind
For you have lived a virtuous life of wisdom and valor
If, in the face of cruelty, you chose to be kind