Defeat Thyself
Donald P. Goodman III
Eternal struggle! Beating waves upon the coast
make war upon the rocks and beaches, never cease
to vainly beat upon the shore, whose prideful boast
will soon retreat, but elsewhere just as soon increase.
So e'en in times of peace, men never cease our strife,
as ocean never ceases war upon the shore;
we dull our edges, like the stone upon the knife,
and have no keenness left for any other chore.
We fight against our families, neighbors, work, and kin,
'gainst anything, if we our true foe can ignore:
the falsest foe's the traitor, which we have within:
defeat thyself: the truest vict'ry lies therein.