We were once the greatest of these
flaunting our riches for the least of these
we stuffed our pockets full of riches
like greedy birds hoarding all we had
selfishly holding our possessions
with white-knuckled greed
we filled our mouths with haughty words
and painted our faces with pretentious stares
looking down on all those who have naught
then our worlds tilted one degree too far
and our riches started sliding
(slowly at first)
out of our hands
the gravity of our situation took its time sinking in
all the while, our hands tired from gripping our possessions,
started losing their strength
and our things started slipping through our hands like sand
our hands weak from our fear of loosing
grasping for and missing all that was falling away
we couldn't see beyond our loss
to see all the we would gain
with our hearts in our throats
threatening to choke what little life remained in us
and our bodies quaking like an aftershock
we started our long walk forward
reluctantly letting go of the last vestiges of our previous lives
we marched past all those who had claimed to be our friends, allies
with their fingers pointing and their laughter following us home
we, ow humbled, began the awkward dance of finding ourselves...again
humbled and changed (changing)
we were once the greatest of these
now we are the least of these
