HOw mUcH??

How much humanity

must i give to be human

in a world like this?

we must fight

for value which purify

and by fighting

we slip from humanity.

to be human

we must soften the enemy

with gentleness

but always

shielding ideals

from ourselves and our adversaries.

and in the battles

we destroy civilizations

that climb into mind

in moments of maturity.

but confrontations

are still moments

when we begin to die

and we descend history's hill

after the passionate ascent;

two movements that make us.

in truth, we go nowhere.

how hard to be soft

how bitter to be sweet

how cruel to be just

what are we here?

mere creatures among animals,

or man among angels

that live with the senses

and the forgotten reason,

and dreaming a heaven

not for us.

Muhammad Haji Salleh

The Travel Journals of Tenggang 2 (pg: 44)