Our Virtues and Vices

Any fairness or foul

Habit or exercise

Done from your will

Any spirit of fairness you hold

Your own

Hold it in your hands

Sculpt it and throw it

Regardless, what it is

Do what you want

And don’t give a damn

What she or we or we

Say or spread or sneak

And do what you want

What you can

In playing and partying

Breaking the books or making them

Snort and scream and sing and be

As you see

Such a large climb

In life

With no sight of summit

Where or even if we climb

What’s real are the handholds

The warmth of the stone

Cold winds and cuts.

The fog and rain

Night and sunlight.

Our sins

Our efforts, powders

Laughter and frowns

The worry lines and tears

All show on the skin

Most in the eyes

And yet

The worst and best of us all

Never shows

And never will

So long as we hold our thoughts

Sacred hates and joys

Projecting outward

Into weathered and worn

Statues and portraits

Working with a canvas

To show much of what we are.

By J.W.H. Hobbs.