The Loyal

photo by Elliott Erwitt
NJ, 1971

“If everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly, the other virtues would be well-nigh useless, since their chief purpose is to make us bear with patience the injustice of our fellows.”

Jean Baptiste Molière

Trustworthy and faithful;
Committed and honorable;
those individuals who
believe and trust in the
sincerity and integrity of all people.

They are, 'The Loyal.'

With purity and a child like charm,
they instill and trigger
HOPE
in those of us who have become
cynical and skeptical.

Their glass is
half full,
not
half empty.

They find beauty and value,
where others may only see
yesterday's forgotten debris.

Their amiable and gentle nature
never anticipates
the danger and risk
of vulnerability.

Sadly,
it is their specific nature
which attracts
the pitiless and merciless;
those bereft souls,
who ambush and assault
with spite and vindictiveness...

The deprived,
thrust
their buried
pain and anguish
outwards...
aiming for
those they imagine
to be free of scars.

Is there conscience
in these callous,
and hurtful acts?

There is hope,
that 'the loyal'
will still believe
there is no
malicious intent...

There is hope,
that the tenderness
and benevolence
in 'the loyal'
will still exist.

There is hope,
that 'the loyal'
will not build a
suit of hard armor
to protect and guard
their authentic spirits...

Instead of armor,
maybe,
a soft veil.

A soft veil,
through which
learned clarity can be found
and foreseen.

Let there be watchfulness
and attentiveness,
while still allowing the
purity and virtue of
the soul to breathe and persevere.

-grassrootsmsw