Mnemonic

Ambition once decided to announce
that it no longer wanted wealth or power.
Greed seconded, demanding not an ounce
beyond what it was due. Before the hour
was struck the others followed, each in turn
denouncing this or that, and filled with passion,
renounce, reject, repudiate and spurn
their nature's calling. Soon, it's all the fashion:
Fear dares to dare, and Anger starts to cool,
Ambivalence makes hard and fast decisions,
while Ignorance, excited, goes to school,
and learns about our pluses and divisions.
Unfortunately, it all came to naught.
Perfection quit, and History forgot.