Human Speech - Rahmat Fa'aola Pele

Human speech can be the sword that separates truth from falsehood
It brings victory to the defenders of justice
Human speech can be the flame that burns away the veil of ignorance
It burns away the veil of prejudice
It burns away the veil of the greedy and jealous self.
Human speech is the key that opens the heart
It opens the heart to receive the light of truth
But, words touch the heart when they are spoken with love.
They penetrate the soul when they are said with purity.
They inspire us only when they are uttered with humility.

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Rahmat Fa'aola Pele (21st century) Samoa
Source: 'Poetry and its Burning Embers' by Diana Betham-Scanlan,pPresented at the
Samoa Conference III: Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable
cultural and natural environment, 2014