heart of the matter

we want what we see
and what we reach for
are such paltry things,
bought off so easily
by rust and ashes
and all that will fade
in time or fall away
into dust and decay
with no lasting
or inherent
value.

we crave what we see
but our eyes can’t
pierce beneath to reach
the heart of the matter,
mesmerized or scattered
about by such shallow
reflections for egos
overflowing with
self and sadly
not much
else.