Once upon a while, as I walked

I stumbled across something glittering at my feet

To my astonishment, I heard a voice

As the Queen of Gems spoke:

“Oh human! I see the greed in your eye

Its unmistakable glint, you cannot deny

Unsurprising, as I am no ordinary gem

Having once adorned the most expensive diadem”

I was taken aback, but having neither greed nor pursuit, I replied

“Oh Queen of Gems, you are mistaken

For, your arrogance is what shows you greed in my eyes

I do not know what makes you so rare

I must tell you that I know of something purer than you, if I may dare”

“However, I would give you a chance

To prove your worth, and take your stance

Why not tell me what makes you so special, at a glance?”

The Diamond said “I shine as bright as the day, I am tougher than all

And I am the most valuable thing in the world!!”

I smiled gently in spite of myself

As I can share with you a thing or two

Of real wisdom, of true knowledge, whatever good it may do

Of your brightest shine, I would like to defy

A thing of which most people are ignorant, I wonder why

A simple act, a caring heart

A warm kindness that sets That Person apart

Simplicity shines brighter than the glitter you possess

An unearthly radiance, I must confess

For, it is never the physical sparkle that makes you whole

But the twinkle which arises out of that Pure Soul

Of your toughness, I do not deny

Out of extreme pressures, you have risen high

So is there a difference between you and the One,

who can tolerate the extremes equaling the Sun?

To bear pressure, to tolerate fire

To control one’s senses and desire

For, this is that quality, that great gift of creation

Of the inner strength of tolerance, arising from the transformation

Of your last strength, I would go much farther

To explain true value is much harder

The Greater Good is what everyone sees

But the real worth is of That Person who sacrificed oneself for it

What would you know of the pain that emerges,

when one gives up their own happiness for the sake of others?

The true value of that Pure Soul you will never know

Since, even though you have adorned crowns a many,

selflessness you have never encountered any

For, it is rarely possessed by the people you accompany

One last thing I want to say

Before I keep you back in the dust and go along my way

I would gladly give a million of you away as dole

In return for That One

That Pure Person

That Pure Soul