a parable

June 28, 2012

And then the wise teacher said

When thou taggest
tag not as some hath tagged
defacing the dignified
mangling the majestic
selfishly scrawling
cowardly concealing
ambiguous aberrations
of one’s own name

Instead

When thou taggest
tag imaginatively
scribbling significance
ornamenting the ordinary
courageously conspiring
blatantly beautifying
ennobling the everyday
with true goodness

But some asked the wise teacher
What meanest thou with such words

And the wise teacher said

It is not about paint
it is about people
we all leave our marks on each other
what marks will you receive
what marks will you leave
will you degrade others
to exalt yourself
or can you forgo your ego
and embellish another
inspire the uninspired
encourage the discouraged
stabilize the unsteady
strengthen the weak
clean the dirty
help the helpless
do the undone

Don’t antagonize
go and tag
tactfully