“Three Themes Entwined” (1 Cor.15:24-28) [Reflections On Charles H. Parkhurst (ed) Portraits And Principles of The World's Great Men And Women, N.Y. : Springfield:The King-Richardson Co. 1899 - #86/100]

His garbled thought three themes entwine –
The first is “Waste” – part quite sublime,
For he takes umbrage with the blokes
Who waste “Their” cash on market-quotes.

Like selling futures – cotton bales
Six million grown – but that entails
A futures-contract-set that reads
it’s thirty-two they grew – such greed –

Can’t make a bale, for it’s a lie;
Folks have no bales – the reason why
Is they don’t grow the stuff themselves
They made it up – the practice tells –

Us what was meant to guarantee
A price for inside industry,
To stabilize ma nature’s chance
Was being played by fancy pants –

Who thought they’d slip themselves within
The dates midstream, resell and win;
The need for liquid market-ness
In end it created “Wastefulness.”

His other instances of “Waste”
Are common fodder, for the rest
Relate to cash one squanders where
One need not have some habit there –

Or passions springing from their breast;
Or prejudice with racial test;
Or appetite beyond one’s need –
All waste, so far as author sees.

His second theme is “Labor’s waste”
Where unions form a “Power” taste,
To end that loses company
Great sums, so they less profit see.

His third theme? Opportunity,
Which better use of cash would see
Emerge with greater stash on hand;
For him the point? “Get all you… can”.

That’s best I can untangle it –
First theme? Who cares? It get over it –
No system of the world’s immune
From folks who act more like baboons.

The second one? Simplistic that –
Who started fight? It’s this for that –
Just like in hockey – jab, respond;
Ref turns to see what’s going on –

It’s always second hit that seen –
So too where labor’s strike has been;
Strikes with a union quiet down
Unfettered fighting all around.

Third theme? Why yes, there’ll always be
a “Better choice” outsiders “See”;
But that’s the cost of being free
Best this man hear – “MYOB”.

To me, the evil here’s two-fold –
One is this writer’s “Judgment bold”;
The second’s buying “Surface talk”
Instead of deeper research walk.

His title is, “The secret of
 saving” (your cash) – don’t waste it, ’cause
I can see better than you can –
But it’s just tangled mess of man.

I think, at base, it’s attitude –
Some play the systems – understood,
That it’s a game of chance they play
But that’s their choice – it’s freedoms way.

He plays in employment-system’s game –
“Preach for a buck” – they’re both the same –
One has more stable, steady cash –
“Why not live my way?” Both would ask.

Neither quote Paul re: Christ’s last task –
“Defeating evil” – that’s not cast
As task of “Body-life” in Christ
They dicker over “What seems nice”.

Lord, what I hear is, “Dig down deep
When it’s the truth in life you seek,
On an assignment in My task;
Then body has good base to ask –

“What is the need which each one has,
Who’s stuck in mud (of evil) fast?”
Then they at least the issues see;
Far more than, “Why not be like me?”

Thanks Lord for this.

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