Lyrical Laments - 16. Chapter 16 Vote

Hi Gary, a very serious poem about an important topic.

Maybe I have a little thing to contribute a bit of hope. At work, I have those wonderful students, who -when I took up the class- used to fight each other and see only bad things in each other. It seemed they had no solid ground to come together. But in the last year they worked hard to see each other in a different  a good light and while doing so, they came to care about more than that and start to think about things. At the moment our topic is water, and they are so motivated to reduce the ocean pollution. This week we make our self a kind of wax-textile/oilcloth (no idea about the right English word) to use it instead of plastic foil. I know it is a tiny step, but tiny steps can lead to a path. But I am a lucky person, seeing every day hope growing.  Lyssa

P.S. In the meantime they have all become enthusiastic poetry writers. hehe  😉

58 minutes ago, Parker Owens said:

It seems silly to deny what’s plainly evident: we’re responsible for what happens to the planet. But how do we make our voices equal to those who prefer their profits to responsible use of the earth? Your lament is well spoken; if you need help with that soapbox, I’ll take a turn...

Feel free, Parker... it's all yours. I get incredibly frustrated, because, while my vote only counts in one country, it is a global emergency. Every thing appears to be about money with so many governments, whether democratic or autocratic. The whole world needs to wake up, and look outward. Our attention get diverted by fake emergencies, on purpose I believe, so that these shiny objects allows for more looting of Mother Earth. Sorry... I'm passing the torch... thanks for expressing your views... cheers... Gary....  

47 minutes ago, Lyssa said:

Hi Gary, a very serious poem about an important topic.

Maybe I have a little thing to contribute a bit of hope. At work, I have those wonderful students, who -when I took up the class- used to fight each other and see only bad things in each other. It seemed they had no solid ground to come together. But in the last year they worked hard to see each other in a different  a good light and while doing so, they came to care about more than that and start to think about things. At the moment our topic is water, and they are so motivated to reduce the ocean pollution. This week we make our self a kind of wax-textile/oilcloth (no idea about the right English word) to use it instead of plastic foil. I know it is a tiny step, but tiny steps can lead to a path. But I am a lucky person, seeing every day hope growing.  Lyssa

 

 

P.S. In the meantime they have all become enthusiastic poetry writers. hehe  😉

 

 

Yay! We need more poetry writers... and more cooperation among individuals from all walks of life. It will take a concerted and unified effort to change the world. Your comment makes me happy, Lyssa, because I have been doing my little part for ocean cleanup... There is an organization called 4ocean, started by two surfers (here is the link in case you haven't heard of it..  https://4ocean.com/   ), and so far I have purchased two bracelets and a water bottle from them, with plans for regular support on my part.   We often do get overwhelmed, but there are ways to contribute to our dying world... you are doing your part by teaching young people to care, and be innovative and open-minded. Thank you, dear friend, for what you do... I feel better.  

There's a fine piece for our times. Now, if only more would believe...

17 minutes ago, Geron Kees said:

There's a fine piece for our times. Now, if only more would believe...

I keep trying to have faith.    Anyway, thanks for the inspiration, Geron, and thanks for reading and commenting.  

Such an important message, and wonderfully worded. It also puts me in mind of old protest songs. Would be cool to put music to it. There aren't enough protest songs being written anymore, imo.

We need more people to  speak out loud. It's not  necessary to put it in  such nice words, but I'm sure it helps. *Scoot over on this soap box of yours* There is space for two.

2 hours ago, Thorn Wilde said:

Such an important message, and wonderfully worded. It also puts me in mind of old protest songs. Would be cool to put music to it. There aren't enough protest songs being written anymore, imo.

Yeah, that would be cool. I love protest songs, especially the hippie songs of the seventies... my favorite was Signs, by a Canadian band called The Five Man Electrical Band.   I used to sing it word for word whenever it came on the radio, and still do.   Thanks for reading, Thorn, and I'm pleased you found it wonderfully worded. Cheers... Gary....

Signs
The 5 Man Electrical Band
lyrics as recorded by The Five Man Electrical Band in 1971 and included on
the 1990 compilation album "Made In Canada - Volume Three 1965-1974"
(BMG KCD1-7158)

And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat, I said "Imagine that. Huh! Me workin' for you!"
Whoa-oh-oh

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house, "Hey! What gives you
the
right?"
"To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in"
"If God was here he'd tell you to your face, Man, you're some kinda sinner"

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Now, hey you, mister, can't you read?
You've got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat
You ain't supposed to be here
The sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside
Ugh!

------ lead guitar ------

And the sign said, "Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray"
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn't have a
penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."
Wooo!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Sign
Sign, signWriter/s: LES EMMERSON 

24 minutes ago, aditus said:

We need more people to  speak out loud. It's not  necessary to put it in  such nice words, but I'm sure it helps. *Scoot over on this soap box of yours* There is space for two.

You can join Parker and myself on here... it's plenty big enough, Adi.   Being able to vote is a big deal, and requires little effort once you understand the issues, and in this day and age, with the world in free fall, I don't understand the apathy. Nor do I understand the blind faith in leaders so obviously out only for themselves. As on old guy, the ease with which lying is accepted, scares the hell out of me. I will continue to vote in my own country... I will write poetry... and I will contribute to the vital causes as much as I can. I just hope the rest of the world will stand up and be counted, where they can. Ooops... I'm back on the soapbox... oh well... thanks, Adi.  

Where did it all go wrong?  Who can truly say, but the first archaeological evidence comes from Turkey where stone circles dating to about 11,000BC were erected by hunter gatherers to promote the earliest religion which placed Man above his surroundings rather than a part of them.  Hunting and gathering was fine because they knew to keep things in balance, and then someone somewhere said 'I don't want to work too hard today, so I'll see what I can do to get somebody else to do my share...'  And so, the stirrings of an elite class was born.  And the easiest way to do that was to convince your fellows that you were set apart from the rest because you had some connection they didn't.

Voting is a valuable and wondrous thing, but when all the choices are bad, where do you turn?  In the US, we are at an impasse because neither party is willing to bargain or even think they might have common cause...so, we spiral down into further division and hatred preyed upon by the power hungry on both sides.  Sadly, too many of the electorate don't educate themselves on the issues and are conned by the rhetoric of demagogues.  One party promises free things and preaches divisiveness, and the other promises security through ever higher military budgets.

Truth and justice is lost to Man...can anyone teach me how to track and make a snare?

6 hours ago, ColumbusGuy said:

Where did it all go wrong?  Who can truly say, but the first archaeological evidence comes from Turkey where stone circles dating to about 11,000BC were erected by hunter gatherers to promote the earliest religion which placed Man above his surroundings rather than a part of them.  Hunting and gathering was fine because they knew to keep things in balance, and then someone somewhere said 'I don't want to work too hard today, so I'll see what I can do to get somebody else to do my share...'  And so, the stirrings of an elite class was born.  And the easiest way to do that was to convince your fellows that you were set apart from the rest because you had some connection they didn't.

Voting is a valuable and wondrous thing, but when all the choices are bad, where do you turn?  In the US, we are at an impasse because neither party is willing to bargain or even think they might have common cause...so, we spiral down into further division and hatred preyed upon by the power hungry on both sides.  Sadly, too many of the electorate don't educate themselves on the issues and are conned by the rhetoric of demagogues.  One party promises free things and preaches divisiveness, and the other promises security through ever higher military budgets.

Truth and justice is lost to Man...can anyone teach me how to track and make a snare?

That's a good question, CG. I think you've answered part of it here... "convince your fellows that you were set apart"... exactly! Manipulation became politics...

The world is becoming unrecognizable... and the changes are happening at astonishing speed, yet the apathy continues because... 

When we don’t bother to figure out

Who the enemy is

The enemies are right in front of us, yet we ignore their danger for the sake of blind loyalty to an ideology, or a political party, or we are duped by a fake news article because it suits that loyalty. We must acknowledge our problems are global, and isolationism is doom.

I can track a cat or a border collie, so yeah, I'm ready to go back to the real old days. Maybe we can share a cave.   Thanks, buddy... you and I are once again of the same mind... G-man. xoxoxo

About all I can track is pizza...fortunately it can find its way to me.  :)

I like caves actually, and hiking and the outdoors.  If the cave has a bathroom, I'm in!

8 minutes ago, ColumbusGuy said:

About all I can track is pizza...fortunately it can find its way to me. 

I like caves actually, and hiking and the outdoors.  If the cave has a bathroom, I'm in!

Sounds good... we'll just have to make sure there's no sabertooth tiger in the cave. I like cats, but... 

Then again, do we really want to give up pizza?  

Great truth in your words Gary.  The become more relevant each day.  During the last three years, many countries have been lost to autocratic rulers and are no longer democracies.  The problems we face are growing because people are to apathetic to deal with them, and allow leaders who focus reelection that world problems.  Perfect poem for our time.

3 hours ago, raven1 said:

Great truth in your words Gary.  The become more relevant each day.  During the last three years, many countries have been lost to autocratic rulers and are no longer democracies.  The problems we face are growing because people are to apathetic to deal with them, and allow leaders who focus reelection that world problems.  Perfect poem for our time.

Thanks, Terry. I get terribly frustrated at how wrong is confused with right. That frustration is born out of a deep fear that has been deeply imbedded in me from early on. I was always on guard for things going backwards, but that doesn't mean I was ready for it. People's rights are being trampled on, and only 'people' can change that.