Humble

I am but a man, both meek and small,
Chasing desires that rise then fall.
I reach for wealth, for power, for fame,
Yet know they fade, like a flickering flame.

Misguided, I stumble, yet strive to learn,
Lest wisdom be lost, lest virtue burn.
For what I cherish in life so sweet,
Will turn to dust at death’s cold feet.

The king and the beggar share one stone,
No kingdom remains, no gold, no throne.
Before the Styx, we stand the same,
No title, no triumph, no echoed name.

No greater than you, no less am I,
A soul with regrets, a wandering sigh.
Our fates are ink on pages bare,
Yet still we write, yet still we dare.

So let us rise, let folly fade,
Seek not the world, but the life well-made.
Cast off the chains of hollow grace,
Return a man, in his rightful place.