Ode On Old Virtues

Virtue, thou art old wine of vague value Admired even by vintners nary more, Nor by the adherents taking time’s cue, Ye decorate archaic ancient lore. Watch new high-fliers that surface from shores— Go-getters getting tonnes in rare offers, Tiger stripes, leopard’s spots of goodly roars, Decibels made louder by fat coffers! If these odd men were not open and out, Would they be such a face they are today? Would biggies and big brags be such a clout? Would scandal-prone leaders rule nations’ lay? Their triumphs tainted get, painted no lean, Can this wipe clean a single sorry trait? Rare if success comes to a chaste Brahmin, Commerce of big bucks makes for today’s bait. Flavours are felt all across fields sans guilt: Be it movies, business, brands, even books, Money’s the recipe that whatso cooks, Reputations from worst of ruins are built. Careers are made, unmade by latest hit, Best sellers lone take authors to the crest, Dough drives like not else, may you grin or grit, Old values make sense but to men modest. Few can recall a MENSA-topping boy, Who does not a five crore KBC1 man? Money when sings the world dances in joy, Bad-plus-big-bucks, here’s a new crackling hen. Let me not play tuneless in today’s time, Yea, some purists do get praised as Gandhian, Yet, to be crass is no more such a crime, Old values I hope are hailed in high heaven. Whilst weighing values for the weathered time, Let’s mull on old saying: Thou shouldst secure Safe income ere vouchsafing virtues pure; Wisdom weighed more, values made pleasant chime. Few if any place in virtues chief good. Some go for health, power, or reach for riches, Or honours, touch of pleasure that pleases, Heart’s no heart in virtues, head wears when hood. Confucius with a list of values came When values valued were at very core, Many did talk of this eying some fame, But they managed to confuse all the more. Holy cows when at a premium are sold, Poor virtue as species goes pretty rare, In a world that today wallows in gold, Old values get wiped out by this black mare! Quiet virtues they say conquer world’s good, Yet, prayers of virtue in silence said Nowhere are heard as by Lao-tse laid; And clueless, confused I retire to brood. Near home, digging unto our ancient text— Mahabharata, a huge storehouse of lore, And in today’s times knee deep in context— The epic failed to define virtue’s core. Yet, there seems but one thing to me nigh clear: Virtue or vice, all else on death when fails, This twain alone survives the soul when sails, So let me virtues cheer and vices fear! Or in today’s times going in fifth gear, I should my virtues fear, my vices cheer! ____________________________________________________ 1. KBC: The popular Indian TV quiz show on earning big bucks. ____________________________________________________ Ode | 06.08.12 |