trial

We march to war,
in the name of peace.
We call ourselves compassionate,
so we kill the minds before the bodies.
We call ourselves tolerant,
so we weed out that which makes us uncomfortable.
Victims of nothing.
Orphans with parents.
Escapees of an open cage.
Long road to a short death,
vacuum existence surrounded by everything.
Turn it off,
walk away.
Shriek out in silence.
Who's hand does more damage,
the savior's or the damned?
No more pain,
only a warm tide of high.
No more suffering,
only bliss.
No more ugliness,
only staggering beauty.
This technological trial will make us all gods,
simply to watch us destroy ourselves.
Responsibility lies in no one hand,
yet we all grasp what will be tomorrow.

original prose, Yurei, 2000
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Tri"al (?), n. [From Try.]

1.

The act of trying or testing in any manner.

(a)

Any effort or exertion of strength for the purpose of ascertaining what can be done or effected.

[I] defy thee to the trial of mortal fight. Milton.

(b)

The act of testing by experience; proof; test.

Repeated trials of the issues and events of actions. Bp. Wilkins.

(c)

Examination by a test; experiment, as in chemistry, metallurgy, etc.

2.

The state of being tried or tempted; exposure to suffering that tests strength, patience, faith, or the like; affliction or temptation that exercises and proves the graces or virtues of men.

Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings. Heb. xi. 36.

3.

That which tries or afflicts; that which harasses; that which tries the character or principles; that which tempts to evil; as, his child's conduct was a sore trial.

Every station is exposed to some trials. Rogers.

4. Law

The formal examination of the matter in issue in a cause before a competent tribunal; the mode of determining a question of fact in a court of law; the examination, in legal form, of the facts in issue in a cause pending before a competent tribunal, for the purpose of determining such issue.

Syn. -- Test; attempt; endeavor; effort; experiment; proof; essay. See Test, and Attempt.

© Webster 1913.