A quartet on quantum qualities

LIMERICK FOR 7 DEADLY SINS and 7 HEAVENLY VIRTUES
sonnets on seven deadly sins and heavenly virtues
commonly found in government and church pews
conflict and hypocrisy found in some of those
who mainstream and evangelic Christianity espouse
regardless of the most obvious contradictory views

SEVEN DEADLY SINS MINUS ONE
LUST – who do you love? who can you trust?
deep pockets? big deals? big bust? late night lust
ENVY – over and over he had it all, she had more
out it poured, Damocles sword, kids next door
GLUTTONY – don’t be afraid of it eat till your made of it
pork roast, fried doughnuts, sugar shweets, muttony
GREED – more of this more of that more gravy more
fat, more money more more that will endure for sure
PRIDE – goeth before a fall, humpty dumpty straddling
the non existent wall brags to all that he won’t fall
SLOTH – ain’t gonna work today, no prayers, no cares
just hanging around upside down playing on the stairs
MEMORY – loss, can’t seem to remember the last one
gives me some more time to have a little bit of fun
those first six sins have sometimes lost sometimes won

RECLAMATION of SINS LEADING TO DAMNATION
(my id and ego do a self examination of my current situation)
GULA (gluttony) doing the hula getting ready to go whole hog
on the whole roasted pig sputtering on the spit just can’t quit
LUXURIA/ FORNICATIO (lust, fornication) lacking trust
loving a luxurious situation with a lack of individuation
AVARITIA (avarice, greed) I’m getting it all at top speed
wanting more than I could want, getting more than I need
SUPERBIA (pride, hubris) me, myself, and I, what is
more important than this? maybe giving my self a kiss
TRISTIA/ACEDIA (sorrow, despair, despondency, sloth)
feeling bad, not for you but me, woe is me, Bonjour Tristesse,
IRA (the Latin word for wrath) think irate, he got irate that was
his sad fate. The late great American humorist Will Rogers wrote,
“ People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.”
VAINGLORIA/INVIDIA (vainglory, envy) he worked hard, got rich,
I’m pissed, he was fortunate, it should be me the one fortune kissed.

LESSONS OF LUST – PAST PRESENT and FUTURE
In lust we trust there is no love
or caring about others friends brothers sisters
lust subverts propriety affects fathers and mothers
permeates our society an unnecessary evil
perpetuated by the mischievous miscreants
practiced by slaves to the devil, are these
sins of flesh? are spiritual sins less grievous
in Dante’s Purgatorio
the penitent walks into flames
to purge himself of earthly shame
in Dante’s Inferno unforgiven souls
with lust are blown coast to coast
no more bragging and boasting
on camera or texting about sexting.

7 HEAVENLY VIRTUES-VIOLATIONS, CITATIONS, SITUATIONS
“Virtue is the moral strength of the will in obeying the dictates of duty.”—Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
CHASTITY (Castitas) our Vice President (no pun intended) Michael Pence seems to be one of the most prominent preachers of chastity in the U.S. today. Pence is the opposite of his boss who on camera brags about a sin on the opposite philosophical side of chastity, who also supports and endorses someone running for political office who like him has been accused of violating heavenly virtues and committing many deadly sins.
TEMPERANCE (Temperantia) from Carrie Nation forward temperance in all things seems to be a healthy companion of longevity
CHARITY (Caritas) we give so others may a better life live
DILIGENCE (Industria) as sore tired muscle pain lingers from our legs up to our bony fingers
PATIENCE (Patientia) parents and teachers use daily common sense practicing patience, and patience requires patience
GRATITUDE (Humanitas) the milk of human kindness, for life, love and the pursuit of happiness something all Americans believe and profess
HUMILITY (Humilitas) having the ability and availing the possibility of letting go of the ego and admitting we don’t know instead of braggadocio

(These seven heavenly virtues with their original Latin names in parentheses appeared in an epic poem “Psychomachia” written by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (d. 410 A.D.) The comments and rhymes are mine.)