The Law Of The Herald
The Law of the Streetwise is "Grab all you can
For there’s nothing that’s true – nothing lasts."
The Law of the Dodger is "Learn all the dirt –
The most pious of priests have their pasts."
The Law of the Grifter is "Cheat the fool first
Or the one who’ll be cheated is you."
But the Law of the Herald is "Give all you can
For some day you will need a gift too."
The Law of the Liar is "There is no truth
It is all shades of meaning and greed."
The Law of the Hopeless is "Never believe
For all faith is a hollowed-out reed."
The Law of the Empty is "There’s nothing more,
Life is nothing but shadow and air."
But the Law of the Herald is "Seek out and find."
And the Law of the Herald is "Care."
The Law of the Hunted is "Guard your own back,
For the enemy strikes from behind."
The Law of the Greedy is "Trust no one else,
Hide and hoard anything that you find."
The Law of the Hater is "Crush and destroy",
And the Law of the Bigot is "Kill".
But the Law of the Herald is "Faith, Hope, and Trust,"
And the strength of the Herald is will.
All these Laws I have learned from the first to the last
From the ones who would teach me they’re true –
And full many the ones who taught anger and fear,
But the ones who taught hope – they were few.
And I ask myself, "Which is the Law I must take,
Fitting truth as a hand fits a glove?"
Then I chose, and I never looked back from that day,
For the Law of the Herald is "Love".
From Arrows of the Queen
Mercedes Lackey
