The Role of a Lifetime

What is that sense, exactly,
Of pride in doing the right—
Not even pride, exactly—

Something like remonstrating
With yourself, something like faith
That the right will be noticed—

Like faith, in that, like all faith,
It can never be certain,
Only felt very strongly—

That this is what should do
And therefore you will do it,
As if someone’s watching you—

And the awareness of spies,
Cameras, gods, and gossip,
Certainly, is part of it,

But not all. Identity,
Also, the reinforcement
Of the self, is part of it,

But not all. Set aside Kant
And moral imperatives,
Too—a small part, but not all.

A moral script’s still a script,
A template, a heuristic.
You sense that you play your part,

And you take comfort in it,
Some satisfaction, only
Since you like to have some role.