stray thought: hard earned wisdom

is there any other kind?

the easy come easy go kind
kinda never sticks around
long enough to make an
indentation just like facts
memorized for a school test
gone so quick you never truly
had them to keep, beyond the
inevitable ending by a bell ringing

the earning is hard, painful oft,
gained usually at great cost
which makes sense, long,
or even short,  created to be
savored, favored, and welcomed
every time it from recesses it
comes unconsciously summoned


but never confuse smarts
with wisdom,
snarts (snarky smarts)
can be obtained, purchased,
but wisdom is always
and only
    hard e a r n e d

I take good advice
Even if I don't like the source,
Because I trust in knowledge
And in the pursuit of more.
I think for myself,
Because I cannot allow others to;
Evidently, not many do.
I place my respect, like I place my trust-
As to how I pay-
When it has been earned.

"Do me a favour" you say, and so I do
But then one favour turns into two,
And two favours turns into three,
Until there isn't time for me.

"Do me a favour" I say, but you decline.
You say you simply have no time,
To return the favour that I gave,
"Do it yourself; I'm not your slave"

Doing a favour, with none returned
Should feel like nothing's being earned,
But only if you do not see,
I do them not for you, but me.

"Do me a favour" and, once again, I do,
And when one favour turns into two,
And you don't return a single one,
I'm laughing to myself; I've won!

If love was not hard
It would not be rewarding
Trophies must be earned

To declare an age
surrounding state
Aware of peat
the surf and deep green turf
It's sound as sage to know your worth
from formed experiences
Enlightenment is more than earned

We did something today
That everyone said was impossible
We fought and clawed our way
Out of the abyss and into the promise land

And we did it not because
We became Champions again
But because we remembered
We always were

Today represents the rebirth
We rose from the ashes
And sometimes you have to come
To the brink of destruction
Before redemption can be truly earned

Oh, how I love to fight the man
But so do all my biggest fans!
Birdies marching "tweet, tweet, tweet"
Resenting those who paved that street