The Place of Honor

If a painting by Rafael,
in a museum of lesser pieces,
found itself hidden in a far corner
would it be wrong if it cleared its throat
and in the name of honoring its Maker
requested a place at the highest point
beneath the brightest lights –
if it requested that artworks be ranked
according to their quality
and not some random or arbitrary arrangement?

Then why do men forget the Hand that made them?
and shy away from the high places
and the light and the admiration
which it is theirs alone to earn,
theirs alone to merit by superlative virtue?

Each thing reflects a degree of light
from the Infinite Source,
achieving color and luminosity in measure
to its attributes and capacity.
But if one these reveal
the very image of the source itself –
“I have created man in My own likeness” –
how can he hide from this revelation,
or dissemble his tie to greatness?

If a mirror is created to reflect,
and the most stunning of beauties stand before it,
how can it look upon itself as ugly?
or fail to rejoice
at bearing such a vision of glory?