Past-Present-Future, Ringing the Changes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
Overheard recently, two macho-looking guys pausing to light cigarettes while wheeling prams on a Saturday morning:
1st man: “I’m sick of hearing about climate change and how we all need to all do our bit to save the planet. It’s been us against the planet for thousands of years and it’s still messing with us, but we’re still here and so’s the damn planet so... what’s the problem? We’re survivors, right? I mean to say, you’ve only got to see how far we’ve come. I mean, it’s History, right, moving forward and all that? History isn’t suddenly about to put the brakes on, well, is it, I mean to say...”
2nd: man: (Shrugs) “History is as the likes of you and me do, I guess. We’ve got things wrong in the past and you only have to listen to The News to know we’re still not getting everything right. (Shrugs again) So maybe we need to take a long, hard look at what we are doing and start pulling together instead of trying to put one over on each other all the time...
Babies
start crying
Both men (Laughing): “Saved by the bell!” (Moving on)
What can I say? Two machos wheeling prams and Climate Change getting a look-in has to be good start... right? Or... yes, what...?
PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE, RINGING THE CHANGES
No
wind in the trees,
not
even the lightest of breezes
to
cajole human ears
into
listening out for ethereal voices
expressing
peace, love,
and
that old standby, hope, waiting
for
mind-body-spirits to call
them
in from as bitter and lasting a cold
as
lives but left to grow old
No
flickers of light,
nor
even the faintest hint of sun,
moon
or stars
to
suggest the planet is even alive still,
or
else as indifferent
to
pain inflicted by its own sense
of
crisis, as its better parts
to
the pleas of a collective consciousness
for
a greater self-awareness
World,
keeps turning,
all
humanity ringing its changes,
meaning
to sing is praises
while
being put through its paces sooner
than
later, a nagging need
to
keep up appearances taking priority
over
its harsher realities
rather
than demand its global powerhouses
confront
certain home truths
Re-awakening,
the spirit
of
past-present-future configuring
human
history,
doing
its best to fire such engines as keep
a
global consciousness
more
in step with a common humanity
than
have its vanities
see
those home truths continuing to mutate
by
way of political debate
Now,
feeling, the lightest
of
breezes come to reassure me
that
I, Reasoning may yet
get
the better of all human nature seeks
to
divide and let fall,
any
picking up and reworking left
to
an innate mind-body-spirit
encouraged
by regenerative powers of nature
(ill-defined
by human history.)
Copyright
R. N. Taber, 2021
Labels: climate change, common humanity, Earth, global consciousness, home truths, human nature, human spirit, life forces, love, nature, personal space, planet, poetry, positive thinking, regeneration, society, survival