Decency

Decency

What a kind word
What a civilized word
What a shallow word

It is a word worth all the gold in the world
but not a single tear
It is worth years of teachings and work
and everything required to be a proper, normal person
but it is not worth one second of courage
It is the lifeblood of empires
and it is the poison of souls

It is comfortable
It is polite
It is accepted
and it is nothing like righteousness

It was decent men that burned babies for Moloch
It was decent people that owned slaves
It was decent people that fueled Hitler's empire
It was decent people that nailed Messiah to the Cross

We're all living in a glass city
We've all got fire and water
an inferno and a flood
just barely held back
And decency is what holds it all back

There's a wild storm out there
a whole world of hot and cold
But decency keeps the room comfortable
it keeps us lukewarm

At least the overwhelming darkness is honest
At least the cacophonous noise doesn't pretend to be soothing
But that shadow is a liar
That murmured confusion is a scam
The masquerade is more sinister than the orgy

Fire the gun
break the ceasefire
Swing the hammer
shatter the glass
Preach the doctrine
in both word and action
That is more righteous
more radical
more powerful
than any other

Let's see this city of hypocrites
this kingdom of snobbery and fashion
this fortress of gossip and vanity and self-satisfaction
fall to pieces

Slice
Burn
Tear your way through
that paper world
and underneath
you'll find righteousness
and holiness
and heavenly glory
but most importantly
You'll find Him