“Be careful what you ask for,”

So said mother to her son.

“But mom, I know what I need!”

(Mom hoped he’d want wisdom).

But wisdom did not drive him,

Desires and passions instead.

He married “beauty” and folly,

Now, his misery widespread.

A nation follows ideas.

Ideology, the mainspring.

When ideas have failed elsewhere,

Why do we anoint them king?

Oh, history, please waken us.

Must we always learn the hard way?

“Righteousness exalts a nation.”

But in foolishness we will pay.