Peace dies...

Live

Why live in shame beneath an open sky,
A shadow in the crowd, a silence passing by?
Why live to bow, obey, pretend,
As puppets twist and justice bends?

Why trade your name for fleeting fame,
Forget your roots to chase acclaim?
Why count the gold while hearts decay,
And let your homeland slip away?

No—live for more than skin and bone,
More than titles carved in stone.
Live not for comfort, not for ease,
But for the truth that sets you free.

Live for those whose voices choke,
For dreams beneath a tyrant’s yoke.
Live for fields that once were green,
For skies that knew what peace could mean.

Do not be tame. Do not be blind.
Let fire and love reshape your mind.
For what is life if not to give
Your soul a reason to truly live?

By Phan Bội Châu