Against All Hope
by Michael Doyle

All alone, by myself
I searched on the shelf
For the words to know
Just how I might grow

To start over in this test
To come through with the rest
In a crash of my identity
I lived my life renewing sincerity

There is madness in pretension
Of which, we must pay strict attention
And from this, come through the fire
Burnt by that which the worst conspire

Faking the ways of true humanity
Feigning humility in place of vanity
Only fools look down on outcasts
Unaware that a crowd's strength is easily lost

The truth is found in the weakest length
And is, indeed, the measure of strength
The corrupt seek out others' weakness
While the meek seek mercy and truly mean this

               ...Against all hope...

(c) February 23, 2024    Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved