[Artifice]

as spoken languages rise a few try to visualize speaking
scribbling lines & dots into symbols soon provided with meaning
in time scribes script words to preserve the highest of teachings
text stretched into the future fusing groups of like-minded beings
soon schools blossomed & bloomed all across ancient Greece
thirst for knowledge ran wild while tribes fought to tame the beast
planted seeds & synapses rooted to bind systems with logic
gave birth to physical science & first described existence atomic
gatherings set in vocal arenas, most expressed philo-sophia
classes & sessions with student attention focused on teachers
at first it's hard to see glanced through this regal dominion
most views are clothed in strands of truth but spun & weaved with opinion
the Romans chose to follow suit, as did the Catholics after them
but religion bottled truths & intellectualism took a backward step
the passage of wisdom was still somewhat happening in it
but the church tried choking embers to let the passion extinguish
yet as the dark ages abated artists started painting sublime
the age of enlightenment reignited intelligent flames in minds
investigative methods developed giving more refinements
a second wave of scholars with knowledge built on the shoulders of giants
institutions slowly open doors, allowing access to college
giving the working class its first path toward the passage of knowledge
education extended... seen as an investment in youth
taught to be concerned with learning better imperfections of truth
study odes & epics of quarrels peppered with ethics & morals
assembled through centuries so plenty of these lessons were borrowed
history written by victors whose perceptions changed the plot
giving those enrolled a greco-roman, western molded train of thought
admittedly just one path to wisdom yet in having all its faults
it's where truth rings most as it echoes off of hallowed college halls
so stand at the door & read the latin words in the arch
& let them be your mantra, disce aut discede: Learn or Depart