Ato: the Mystery of Three

Balance is the soul of existence Such consciousness sure liberates For in the attainment of balance The being is complete and whole As all aspects situate appropriately In every challenge the imbalance is obvious For the keen eye sees opposites at play Each battling to outwit and subdue the other And so it can only remain as they oppose Until a balance arrives to quell and calm One gets opposed by two, creating flux Until three, calm is elusive, instability sure Since three wedges, according to the Igbos When three locks, it is firm and steadied Affirming the balance of the three, ‘Ato’ Then disregard the excitement of the first Even the temptation of the second, ignore The opposing forces become lucid and weak Allowing the third to emerge unhindered Rewarding the enduring with the virtues of Ato