Retreat from the Light

In the ways of the world I am certain,
There are sacrifices that require untouched devotion,
Crises that require the whole to relinquish the soul,
To go forth toward the darkness in earnest,
And knowingly fail to ever reach the light.

The sacrifice that is required by us all,
Yet so rarely undertaken,
For so many fail to truly see,
The long-forgotten distinguished virtues of men,
And so the sacrifice remains unchosen by all but a few.

Yes society wholly glorifies these select few,
But still refrain from choosing their fallen path,
As glory is lost in this self-centered world,
Choosing to live life by 'I this' and 'I that',
Oh yes, glory has fallen along with the apple from the tree.

Everywhere these men have dwindled deep into ancient history,
The chivalrous knights, the honorable samurai, the Spartan warriors, the mighty Scythians,
Their legends and ways are profitable to the world on screen,
Their stories are heard and the desire briefly felt,
Yet all too soon we retreat to the glowing light that beckons us all.

We seem to have forgotten the meaning of honor and respect,
We retreat to our boxes and simply delete friends,
Consequences have no existence in this artificial world we've created,
Our networks grow as our values decline,
And society is increasingly engulfed by the light.

So hear this before it is too late,
Retreat from the light, I say, retreat,
Relinquish your soul and redeem your true self,
For the darkness will only free you,
This I say now, this is my battle cry.