CRITICISM

      

Criticism is a tool,

If you cant comprehend this,

You’ll always be drowned, in self-pity’s pool,

Many will come to voice their protests against you;

Yet they will say,

They came to guide you.

But, just anyone you follow,

Then surely you’ll,

Sacrifice your bright tomorrow.

For, many will claim,

They are “Godsend”,

However your ‘will’, they’ll,

For their own, selfish purpose, bend.

Each one will make you wear,

The “slave’s hood”

But, all that is not so bad,

For in criticism, there could be some good.

In those harsh words,

There could lie concealed a gem,

Some wisdom, some philosophy,

From which your wisdom might stem.

For criticism from the enlightened,

And words from the Angles are alike.

Criticism like the teacher,

I can show you the true light!

You can’t forget them, for they might,

Just be the key, to what’s wrong and what’s right.

So to benefit from the critic,

Let wisdom be your filter,

And understanding is your guide.

Let experience show you the right path to enter,

And let in your heart,

A thirst for knowledge resides.

Good criticism is evils perfect twin,

But only when you learn,

To discern between them,

Only then will you win.

Often you lose,

‘Cause you build with worn-out tools.

If only you can,

With your ideas and morals think,

The critic and you: both,

Won’t see your life, into destruction sink!

If only you too,

Could hold such a view,

To serve the one who rebukes,

It is still, virtue!

Then there won’t be just a few,

With, similar views.

This at least, to humanity, is your due.

If you can be with the crowds,

And still, keep your virtue,

If you can walk with the kings,

Yet, not loose the ‘common touch’,

If neither friends nor bitter foes,

Can hurt you such,

Then all men can rely on you,

Yet, you rely on none too much.

If by no man's frown,

Do you in despair drown?

If no man's voice can make your hope forlorn,

And no man's words can prick you like a thorn,

If no man's advice, be your master,

Nor any one's criticism,

Make you walk faster, 

If you can fill each unforgiving minute,

With sixty seconds worth of a distance run,

If you can stand up, shine under your sun,

Then yours is the world,

And all that’s in it.

And what’s more,

The greatest battle of your life,

You shall have won.

If you can keep your head,

When many all around you,

Are losing theirs,

And blaming it on you;

If only you can trust yourself,

When all men doubt you,

Yet make allowances,

For their doubting too,

If you can bear curses and criticism, bitter,

And yet your spirit be,

Like the plant that does not wither,

And if you can free your mind of doubt,

When all those lost,

In life’s tempestuous sea, wander about,

When all around you, men in pessimism scream,

Yet you can live in reality; fulfill your dream,

If you can forbear to jump on the bandwagon,

When adversity’s cold winds do blow,

If you can be the one in the million,

Who holds on to his ideals, and just not go,

Nor with the senseless crowd flow!

If you can wait,

And not be tired of waiting,

Keep working,

Without the pain abating,

Nor on being hated,

Give into bitter hating,

If you can dream,

Yet not make your dreams your main game,

And though you can think,

Not make those thoughts your sole aim,

And if you can,

With heart and soul, work,

To lessen humanity’s pain,

If you can meet with triumph and disaster,

And yet treat both imposters, just the same,

If you could look with one eye to criticism and condolence,

Then rest assured,

You’ll bring about in this world, a lot of benevolence

If you can stay away from the evil of hate,

Only then will your life’s trouble abate,

If you can, in spite of each man’s critical voice,

Have the courage to stand up,

And make your choice; voice your view,

Only then will you be born anew!

If you can bear to hear voices,

 The truth, you have spoken,

Twisted by those, who want,

To make a trap for fools,

Or watch, not emotively, the ideals,

You gave your life for, by mankind broken,

Then, and then alone, I say,

That your inner self would have woken,

And you and your work,

In golden words will be spoken.