A Human Jungle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

At the moment, the world, as needs must, is having to focus its attention on the coronavirus pandemic, but needs must, too, we keep a weather eye on other forms of pandemic; racism, sexism, despotism, religious bigotry and homophobia among others. 

It has always been a mystery to me, the how anyone can justify their prejudices, let alone attempt to reconcile them with a feeling for humanity.   

Nothing can justify judging someone, or leaping to conclusions about them, based only on the colour of their skin or any socio-cultural differences we might have with them, often for reasons best known to ourselves? 

Human nature is such that none of us can expect to experience an affinity along such lines as love or even friendship with everyone we meet, especially given the variety of circumstances - for better or worse - in which we may well be thrown together; such differences as comprise both natural and human landscapes will see to that. We can, though, try to take each day as it comes, make the best of and see the best in whatever and whoever comes our way, rather than feel inclined to go by such first impressions as are often misleading, if not always. 

No one deserves to feel they are being judged for whatever by appearances, physical or otherwise; similarly, no one deserves to be denied a chance to atone - each in his or her own way - for their mistakes. Time and again, we hear that ‘to err is human’; a truism’ yes, and one we should embrace, but neither as an excuse nor escape clause.   

I well recall a conversation many years ago with a college friend who went on to teach Religious Studies at a secondary school. He made the point that there’s no escaping our mistakes, especially the graver ones. The latter, especially, are likely to haunt us forever; we can but do our best to learn from as well as atone for them, and trust that any ghosts will see to it that we do just that. Although we were light years apart with regard to our thoughts on religion, it came as no small surprise to us both that we saw eye to eye on the subject of ghosts. 

A HUMAN JUNGLE 

Grey skies,
reflecting an affinity with doom
of a world
in the grip of a pandemic
that would cast us
beyond reach of a hopeful heart;
the heart, though,
is stronger than we know, its native spirit
propagating kinder ideas

A smiley sun
does its best to bring such joys
as it can
if only to abandon us
once night falls
to such dreams as may or may not
have us waking  
to another dawn’s rising on such half-truths
as propagating fake news 

As always, it falls
to mind-body-spirit to devise
ways to rise above
the worst that can threaten
its finer powers,
reassure us, whenever despair
gets to enjoy
in its finest hours for tearing us into pieces,
like fodder for hungry wolves 

Forever prowling,
wolves in human shape and form,
hunting such prey
as come referred by various
baser instincts
of nature and human nature,
primed to scavenge
among those of us too easily brought down
by a similar prevalence of flaws 

Such are the ways
of both natural and human worlds,
the better known
(and denied) for various
better instincts
primed to set the world on fire,
not least by inspiring
its finer aspirations to dissuade fragile nerves
from making a case for excuses 

For humanity's taking love and peace on board, 
any jungle drums less likely to be heard...?

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2021

[ Note: This post-poem appears on both poetry blogs today.]