To Temper a Man

To Temper A Man Born of earth, fire, and water The steel is only as strong As its base ingredients. As weak as its largest fault. Just as steel is a combination Of Iron, nickel and carbon So is a man forged Of love, respect and honor He should be born of love, not lust. He should be brought up through respect, not fear. He should should learn honor, not duty. These are how a man is forged. As the iron goes through changes to become steel, So then a child becomes a man through such change. Any single fault can be hammered and forged out, Overcome with work and dedication. But like any fine steel, The impurities must be removed. Through tempering and labor of love These defects can be removed. Rage must be tempered with love, As hate must be tempered with compassion. Youth is tempered with honor, And ignorance with wisdom. You must temper Pride with humility, And weakness with courage. Laziness can be absolved in the light of duty, And a sense of entitlement with a great loss. To make steel stand strong Through the ravages of time and environment, It must be forged with care, passion, and integrity. Haste only weakens it and makes it brittle. So to must a man be forged, With patience dedication and long-suffering. For to forge a man one must also break him down With the fires of life forge an unbreakable spirit.