Living in the 21st Century (5): Civility and Polity

Louis Egbe Mbua

Better a disposition polite
Than an exposition rude
‘Cause to be rude
Is to be crude
But to be polite
Is to please

Better a low voice spoken
Than a high note shouted
At the top of your voice
‘Cause to shout is to be crude
While to whisper
Is to please

It’s better to laugh
Than to cry
Because laughter
Pleases the heart
While sorrow
Depresses the soul

It is better to be quiet
Than to be loud
Because Silence
Inspires thought
While loudness is
A useless battle fought

It is better to eat
Your lunch slowly
Than to eat too fast
Because eating fast
May reveal you had
No Breakfast!

Better to take
In food small by
Small at a time
Than to take
A double gulp
In one fell swoop

Because every
Small at a time
Improves health
But a double gulp
May endanger
Your health

Now, better be calm
And calculating
In the face of
Aggression
Than to rush
In revenge

Because an
Aggressor is always
In a rush and
Can be coaxed
Into deep holes
Without aggression

Better a maker
Of Peace
Than a monger
Of war
‘Cause a maker of peace
Is admired by all

It’s better to
Advance justice
Than to
Enhance Injustice
Since the Unjust
Will be weighed in the balances

And will be
Found wanting
On account
Of their own
Injustices
And Folly

The just
Is Loved by
Many;
And peace cometh,
But the Unjust
Has hate installed.

Thus, it is better
To return Love
With Love
Than to receive
Love
And return hate

Because love
And hate is
Complete
Opposite
As to create
A collision

Still, it’s best
To return hate
With love
To obviate the
Clash but do
Not be a fool!