In Praise of Eros

The tyrant Youth destroys the human heart-
Awaking errant passions yet unjust,
Distracting students with the lover’s dart,
Insatiable, miraculous, and just.
For rising to his place, the human stands,
While being, he majestically becomes,
Desire marks his glory, and his chance-
He lacks divinity, to it succumbs.
The pinnacle of life is not despair,
But reaching ever higher, does it bow,
For Man to live, he must receive a share
Of future, past and ever-present now.
Oh Eros, you who ever vex our hearts,
Continue to unleash your holy darts!
-Tyler William O’Neil
-July 3, 2009

III Propositum Vitae

(The Purpose of Life)
Afore the age of Reasoning began,
All life was lived for naught but life itself.
This simple goal was ever praised by Man,
But only if his life held all his wealth.
Yet some were not fulfilled in this conceit,
And held, “Alas, there must be something more-
A goal beyond the water and the meat-
A link to something deeper, spirit’s core.”
And so He sought for wealth beyond the eyes,
A treasure vast beneath what could be seen,
A purpose to fulfill, which never dies,
The Truth that underlies life’s prideful dream.
As men we take the pleasure and the pain,
And ever seek such otherworldly gain.
-Vir Cogitans Americanus
Scribit Dies VI Iunii, Anno Domini MMVII

158 Sleep

Oh sleep, thou art a boon for weary souls!
Oh dreams, thou art repose for weary minds!
In slumber lies the healer of the holes,
In dreaming dies distress of many kinds!
The misery of life does grow with age,
The tapestry of wisdom, pain displays-
And yet in hallowed sleep is peace the sage,
Repose so greatly deep- it ne'er decays!
Yet life does hold a boon- sweet victory!
It leadeth to the tomb, but to a gold,
For aged life, with Wisdom's industry,
Holds naught of strife, but joyous songs of old!
So sleep in loss, in misery of pain-
But live to cross beyond this happy feign!
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O'Neil)
Written March 27, 2007

116 Eternal Life

The majesty mankind does ere possess
The victory we hold upon the earth,
Will fade as time declares our great distress,
And ever-present snares degrade its worth!
This loss is felt upon the heart of man,
In pain he knelt to question living’s worth,
To find a golden balm, the search began,
No answer came, no psalm to heal the Earth.
Above the trees is heard a silent call,
The great disease is broken in the mind,
For thoughts will never die, as bodies fall,
To others shall they fly, ‘tis you they find.
If one does seek in short to never die,
Then he must find his essence in the mind.
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
-December 17, 2006

109 The Mystery Of Life

The frigid air awakes the memory
Before the snare of modern time was heard,
The child’s song, so full of mystery,
What ere went wrong, the silence of a word.
The simple life was never once his goal,
He wanted strife, a combat of the bold,
He longed for life to grow, become the whole,
And victory to flow, not ever old.
Yet now he stands aloft, not changed much,
His heart still longs for more, not satisfied,
But now his goal is age, and wisdom such,
His youth of spirit in its full has died.
This loss he mourns yet cannot ere describe,
It shall remain the mystery of life.
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written December 2, 2006

26 The Journey

All wish to travel far and wide,
Yet many close to home remain,
To venture out, some nere decide,
Yet from this journey, none refrain.
At birth, a subtle stillness dies,
A new companion takes his place,
To rise and rise he ever tries,
A zest for more lies in his face.
Until his body lies entombed,
He will seek ever for a peace-
This thing sublime, without a wound,
Will find him when his senses ease.
Beyond this point we cannot know,
A journey new must now be told.
© Jerusalemrising
Written March 24, 2006