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

II Scire Non Scire Cur Est

(To Know Is Not To Know Why)
While science is the cure for many ills,
It answers not the fundamental “why?”
That query set by Grand Eternal Quills
Is questioned now and will be by and by.
What purpose has a strand of DNA,
If not to be the building-block of life?
But why this is to be brings great dismay,
When such a goal is not applied to life.
The purposes which set our reaching goals
Are not derived from how the body works.
But rather they must land upon our souls,
Delivered by Philosophy through Works*.
No scientific thought can claim to say
Why Man must live his life from day to day.
- Vir Cogitans Americanus
Scribit Dies XXVII Maii, Anno Domini MMVII

* Grand works of great thinkers and Religious writers

I Cupiditas Idonea

(Fit passion)
Afore the age of thinking man began,
A sensual desire filled his soul,
Yet though to ev’ry woman, all men ran,
They found their rapture never to be whole!
Then Founders struck the seeds of newer age,
They found the way to make the boy a Man,
They molded noble men from age to age,
Their passion geared from petty to Divine!
Yet lately modern man unleashed the beast-
To find the glory and the vigor lost.
For passion caged becomes a noble beast,
And whim indulged becomes a passion lost!
If love is to be worthless, treat it such
To be divine, denial is a must.
- Vir Cogitans Americanus
Scribit Dies XXVI Maii, anno Domini MMVII

162 Pretium Omnibus Crescet Nihilo

(The worth of all things grows from nothing)
My skeptic friends do ask this query great:
“What God of love would bask in misery?
If God is good then why allow the hate?
Why ever should we see depravity?”
I pondered this, and thought of none and all-
I went to kiss the veil of nothingness,
I found importance in the lack of all-
I saw existence yield its only bliss!
For value does derive from antonyms-
When water is denied, it seems so nice-
The virtue’s gold, so sung in ancient hymns,
Is seen through cold depravities of vice!
Thus evil, once contrasted with the good,
Augments the virtue’s worth, it’s used for good!
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written May 1, 2007

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

157 The Partnership

Man longs to know the secrets of the world,
The hidden flow of breezes o’er the earth,
The mystery of death and netherworld,
The gold of living breath, all living’s worth.
To find the secret here, he turns to “laws,”
To thought’s ungainly sphere he does seclude,
He postulates, examines, finds his flaws,
His mind creates new laws, however crude.
Thus knowledge grows, and recreates itself,
Man ever knows much more than once he did,
And yet without a goal, this has no wealth,
As Man without a soul is just an id.
The knowledge by itself is not enough,
Bereft of Wisdom’s wealth it’s naught but fluff.
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written March 26, 2007

156 The Self

What is the self, the essence of the soul?
Has it a wealth, a treasure-trove of gold?
Or is it worthless, stale, and never whole,
A longing pit so pale, and ever cold?
The impulse to beget is ne’er subdued,
The avarice is set to rule the world-
The will to live does other lives exclude,
It fails to give a purpose, to be ruled!
The will to aid comes not from distant self,
The just crusade is waged for higher cause,
True love, that beauty gold, looks not to wealth,
The wisdom of the old wants no applause.
In short all bleak design is of the self,
While golden beauty fine, of higher wealth.
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written March 26, 2007

155 The Failure Of Science

Across the sea, and many desert sands-
The victory of Wisdom does reside,
The Truth, in glory decked, above all lands-
All falsehoods shall be wrecked, all farce denied!
Each People understands whate’er it will,
The shifting of the sands, the skies above,
Yet fullest Truth seems ever unfulfilled,
Man’s constant youth in thought shows lack thereof.
While all believe they know the deepest truth,
They do deceive themselves on that account,
Experience dictates their thought uncouth,
Their one acquaintance rates a slight amount!
Full Truth does lie beyond man’s present state,
His knowledge, like the maund,* does fluctuate.
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written March 18, 2007

* unit of measure in Asia that has different values for different countries

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

153 Man’s Dilemma

The beast and Gentleman ne’er end the strife,
The animal, again, does long for flesh,
Philosopher e’er pines for higher life,
It is not her, but Her, who is the best!
Mankind is close to choosing Perfect Will,
Her golden robes are ever just in sight,
And just as Wisdom’s Truth is closer still,
Mankind, in foolish youth, dismisses light!
To serve, our deepest fear and greatest goal,
Does draw so ever near, and we withdraw,
When Wisdom moves into our deepest soul,
We flee in droves, uncertain- what a flaw!
Full self-control is ever what we yearn,
Yet “freedom’s” goal is e’er to Wisdom spurn!
© Jerusalemrising (Tyler O’Neil)
Written March 13, 2007