Terra Nostra

The tyrant ousted, liberty restored,
A senate and a legal code assumed,
A nation strong in virtue, soon the lord
Of mare nostrum, sea by land consumed.
Yet liberty fits not the world entire,
A few self-governed men can rule a state,
Expansion soon makes liberty expire,
Debauchery and Caesar are its fate.
Augustus worked to fix the malady,
Surrendering his station as the king,
Yet Rome was irredeemable indeed,
And Caesars ruled ‘til Oadacer’s sting.
Perhaps the land by two seas flanked is wise,
To leave its conquests free to rule their lives.
-Tyler William O’Neil
May 8, 2009

154 The Bridge of Death

A restless soul cries ever for the light-
His constant goal is not to be appeased-
‘Tis those who do not see that will have sight-
But those who shall not be are now deceased!
As Socrates said well, before his death,
‘The life that has a knell, do not prolong,’
If not a bridge, death has no greater wealth-
If ‘tis a ridge to nothing, life’s foregone!
Do not accept the pessimistic view-
‘Tis not adept to changing circumstance!
Afore the reaper reaps, none ever knew-
So live when body sleeps- not die, but dance!
Live not for gleeful cheer that shall be gone-
But search beyond the sphere- what shall live on?
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written March 17, 2007