Flooded in the streets
were dreams of hopes
and pavements of ambitions
all seeking somewhere, somehow
to reach to the top,
and to acquire it all………
walking a few miles
they felt they won a marathon,
climbing a few steps
they thought they had reached the apex,
building a new dwelling
they thought they had erected a palace,
such was the false satisfaction
of those unjust minds.
A Divine voice asked one of them:
have you contented yourself
without spoiling the peace of another?
have you achieved happiness
without depriving the ‘status' of another?
have you judged whether you deserved more
without giving priority to your selfishness & greed?
have you ever respected your brother
as much as you pleased your son?
'NO', he answered.
And the Divine voice answered back:
'If your Soul steers not clear of hatred, jealousy and envy,
then beggars should try not to be Kings'

(If you don't uphold the dignity of others,
you do not deserve dignity yourself-
this is the essence of the poem.)

Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/steer-clear-your-soul/