If It Gets You to Reconsider

Assuming something must be good
Since some authority said so

Is not the character weakness
It’s usually made out to be—

Compelling yourself to seek out
Value in something you don’t like

Can have world-expanding effects
You wouldn’t have experienced

If not for a meek acceptance
Someone might have seen what you missed.

You might have overlooked beauty,
If not told ugliness held it.

You might have looked down on nonsense,
If not told there was art in it.

You might have loathed your own people
Until stories in their voices

Started showing up on the shelves,
Started turning up with awards.

Sometimes the new, diaphanous
Clothes tailored for the emperor

Were sewn precisely to disclose
An emperor’s naked nature.