And Blessed are those who have seen the Blight.
The tree has roots very deep in the soil,
but we’ve found a leaf with a bite of the Blight
(and Blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
We’ll cut it off, cast it into the night,
and so keep the tree well, and safe from the Blight.
(and Blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
Although, although, if this leaf isn’t right,
It could mean (it might, it might)
That there’s a branch that’s been blanched by Blight.
So to upper branches we’ll swiftly alight
to check to see if vision bright
might note another touch of Blight
(and Blessed are those who’ve seen the Blight.)
Behold! It seems, it seems we were right;
Someone of most exceptional sight
Has spotted a hint of the hideous Blight
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
The tree is strong, and of great height;
The loss of a branch is a difference slight;
And it’s well worthwhile to ‘ware the Blight
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
…And now we’ve a moment of tangible fright.
Some of those with the excellent sight
Have spotted more Blight. They have spotted more Blight
On some branches that we thought were totally right.
But now, to some eyes, when the sun’s very bright
It looks like this we’ve found us some more of the Blight.
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
So off come those branches! But now, this fright:
Where else might be found the unseen Blight?
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
Something’s wrong. Our chests are tight:
Why can’t we better see the blight??
surely we should fix our sight,
so all of us can see the Blight.
And these things, too, does not seem right:
They’re not sleeping through the night,
The ones, the ones who see the Blight.
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
I think this branch might have the Blight.
(cast it, cast it into the night.)
I think that branch might have the Blight.
(cast it, cast it into the night.)
and now we’ve learned to fix our sight,
and now, we, too, can see the Blight,
and none of us sleep through the night.
If you even think it might be Blight,
cast it, cast it into the night,
For if you think it might be Blight,
I promise you, you’re always right.
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
Learn from us this lesson bright:
We had some who didn’t see the Blight,
and it turns out they weren’t right,
for some of those who had the Sight
realized: those people were the Blight,
and some we cast into the night,
and some suddenly saw the Blight,
and all realized (as well we might)
that nothing is ever safe from the Blight,
not once you’ve learned the proper sight,
the sight which knows how to see the Blight,
and we know everyone who’s right
knows how, knows how to see the Blight
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
now we cut away all that might
have ever been touched at all by the Blight,
and in solemn vow and rite,
we cast them all into the night.
But this is troubling. Everywhere my eyes alight
Seems to have a touch of Blight.
Surely that cannot be right;
But you die if you question the Blight, the Blight.
So either there’s something wrong with my sight,
or everywhere’s alive with Blight.
If the latter, no future’s bright
not if everywhere is Blight.
And if the former, then the night
has swallowed up many who never had Blight.
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
(but that can’t be right.
That can’t be right.)
And now, none of us sleep at night.
Not fair. Not fair. Not fair or right.
We cut the branch, cast it out of the light;
So why aren’t we freed from the bite of the Blight?
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
(and blessed are those who have seen the Blight.)
_______________
Courage, as has often been said, does not lie in never feeling fear or never being afraid, but in overcoming fear. Fear likes to be fed, and it doesn’t care whether you’re giving it meat or gristle.
The more we tell each other that we need to live in terror, the more we’ll do so. That’s part of how we work.
You can feel there are bad things in the world, and have negative emotional responses to those things, without letting those things govern your life.
I write things. I put on events.
