Codes of honor
 

Are they natural things?
Does the stem know
its duty to the flower
to stand straight and tall?

Does the bee heed a code
buzzing in the stymen
burdening herself
with yellow polen?

Does the dog
herding the sheep
listen to an inner voice
that demands self sacrifice?

Whence this compulsion
then
to honor
those that have fallen
at battles and wars?

Why should Antigony
court certain death?
Codes of honor,
idea constructs
of great endurance and spread,
vibrate through the structure
of humanity
intoning the song of man.

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Note:
The athenians before going to battle
lined up randomly in twos,
would swear:
" I will not shame these holy weapons
nor will I desert my companion
whoever I lined up with"
a code of honor free people adopt
loyalty is for serfs.