the diamond is still a stone

what if the brilliance dazzles us

and the play of colors awe us?

the diamond is still a stone.

what if it seems perfectly built

and perfectly woos our greed

with the strangeness of its scarcity

the diamond is still a stone

what if we murder and pillage

and dismember our friends

to hide the cache we stole from our other friends

the diamond is still a stone

what if we adorn our crowns

and guard the realm with zeal

to provide sanctuary for the gem

the diamond is still a stone 

what if we construct fortunes

to allow us covet our neighbours fortunes

and trample his fields in search

the diamond is still a stone

what if we build an altar

and raise an order of levites

to mumble words that are just words

the diamond is still a stone.