Defer

The Ancient Modern

Defer  /  Joshua Alan Sturgill

What we vilify
    we validate.
    What we deride,
we incubate.

It’s not enough
    to shush or blame;
    it’s not enough 
to blush in shame.

The evil safely
    tucked away will
    spoil and swell
until, one day

it can’t be hidden
    anymore. It 
    bursts the walls,
and buckles the floors,

or (worse!) it plays
    at being good,
    as tolerant, chic,
misunderstood.  So

let the devil
    have his day.
    Let him swagger,
let him bray.

Debate no sinner;
    despise no sin.
    Remember, Death
is wisdom’s origin.  

Wheat suffers weeds,
    and this is why: 
    good and evil, together,
grow old and die.  

Faiths and opinions,
    Heaven and Earth:
    Death (alone) knows
what each is worth.

Defer your judgment
    with no fear of loss.
    Death is the Judge;
His verdict, the Cross.

All poetry and supplementary material: copyright 2021 by Joshua Alan Sturgill. All rights reserved.