Heart

Born is the heart, full of life, vigor, and dreams.
There are no hatreds, feelings of hostility or fears.
It beats gently, driving life through the corridors of flesh as it grows.

Nurtured it grows with the soft embrace of love.
Pumping freely, never ceasing for a moment, it sees only the future.
Hope and freedom are forever entwined on its soul.

It must defend itself against the ideals which would tear it apart.
It must shield itself from despair, harden its soul.
Courage and faith bring it strength.

It beats strong with the knowledge of life, forever learning, forever growing.
Perpetually it drives understanding and devotion outward.
It thrives on warmth and understanding.

It does not know the barriers of language.
It does not recognize the bigotry of color.
It does not listen to the unswerving devotion to a single ideal, shutting out all others.

As age encroaches upon it the heartbeat slows.
Knowledge of life is no longer able to sustain it.
The embrace of love begins to fade.

The warmth of hope and freedom chills.
The heart begins a slow-motion fall into the abyss.
Toward the light of happiness and everlasting peace.