inherently mine

i don’t think it’s chance or that fate wrote me,
i believe i write this story, slowly and consciously

see felix adler whispered, “deed before creed,”
so i plant kindness where others sow greed

vonnegut said, “goddamn it, you’ve got to be kind,”
in a world that’s more chaos than any grand design

marcus aurelius with his weathered gaze,
taught me calm is not silent, but choosing your ways

nietzsche declared, “become who you are,”
so i carved my own compass versus wishing on a star

this isn’t faith, it’s fire in the spine,
the kind that says my meaning is inherently mine

i won’t wait for an afterlife in hopes of being whole,
i’ll forge purpose in pain, wear out the tread of my sole

human hands built hope from rubble and ash,
overcoming hardship, surviving the crash

so i listen, not for gods but for need,
and i live purposefully because actions are my creed

the universe doesn’t owe me some grand plan,
but i owe the world this one life as best i can