Manners

Manners

When you sit down to eat
with a ruler,

marvel not at her silver,
for the glitter deceives,
serving nothing like
the edge of the hunter’s knife.

Do not envy her hors d'oeuvres,
for they satisfy no appetite,
nor do they stir understanding
in the hour of the hunted one’s death.

Do not savor the juice of her quarry,
for it’s blood was shed not to sustain her,
but to make her feel more like
she is one with you and your kind.

Sitting down to a ruler’s dinner—
the smorgasbord of seduction,
the menu of mendacity,
the diet of gluttony—

should be guided by the memory
that dining with your Self or your God,
or sharing bread with the worker bee,
serves the true ruler in man and girl,

And with this service,
you better the world.