Shipwrecked

We are all doomed to the same fate.

I feel the earth

crumble

beneath my feet

as I tread homewards.

 

The sand has dried

and cracked

and broken away

from its moorings

here on earth.

 

I feel myself rising

like a sun god

before worshipers,

except

there is no one

to listen to my sermon.

 

Deaf ears

hear the currency

of opportunity

as they break

the surface

to steal our gold,

as they char our forests

to fuel

the barbeques of Hades,

or put women and children

to the sword

for a patch of dried grass.

 

The waves come and go,

ebb and flow

to the tune of lunar

moans

as we realise there

is no ark

to save us.

 

And I,

I swim,

swim well

because I taught myself

to survive

a nuclear winter.

 

I have all four strokes

under my belt,

and can float

on my back unaided,

as the Titanic

rots beneath

the waves.

 

But,

here in my

sinner's heart,

I know I,

like all mortals,

will sink

into the ocean

of ash,

and there will be

no obituary

for me.

 

28/08/19

Author's Note

Reviews

[kentuck14]

some very searing images in this one mate. You were on a roll!!
T

[John Alexander McFadyen]

THank you Tom. I guess I was sort of rollin'. Many thank yous for indulging this unworthy scribe!

[Kaede16]

"as they char our forests
to fuel
the barbeques of Hades"
Such a strong imagery. Especially with what's going on in the Amazona, this part right here is crucial. The beauty of this is, that men will eventually perish, but nature will always find a way. Just because we wont be here to witness it, doesn't mean everything will rot. the world won't just die with us.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes I kind of see that too. Many thanks Kaede

[Einstein Noodle]

poignant street true poetry John .. our sorry state so well depicted .. without hope but for Faith ;) which i comfort me self with throughout the day and into the night and early mornings .. Faith in Jesus Christ .. the one way offered that only requires the kind of honesty in your poem .. and then a Saints patience with one's self to not give up that hope .. we can't earn it .. but we can accept it eh!? .... or not :( love this poem! it is eternally relevant and so very worthwhile in theme .. reads smooth and silk but cuts like the sword of truth ... thanks for sharing sir!
E.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Feeling it acutely lately as the UK struggles with the politics of Brexit. Many thanks 'E' I am most grateful.

[Einstein Noodle]

i watched and listened to a little bit of the debating going on in your Parliament this morning .. i love the way you Brits "discuss" things .. such a lively banter, with humor and respect .. not like here in the US ... they are vicious and take themselves far to seriously .. and won't give an inch .. not all .. but its all that gets news coverage .. top o'the mahrnin' to ya!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

And top o' the mahrnin' tay yat too sir. Unfortunately our democracy is 'parliamentary democracy' which is allowing the lily livered who wish to 'remain in Europe' to overturn the democratic will of the people. At the referendum we had the highest voter turn out and 52% voted to leave the EU now parliament is wrecking that decision. It took years to get to the point of allowing the vote in the first place. I now have no faith in our style of democracy!

[Einstein Noodle]

:( i hear you .. it should be that simple shouldn't it!? i think you will prevail tho ... a common monetary system between countries is simply to full of holes and difficulties it can not stand .. that and the power then available to ????? would be so far beyond "too much" ... you know... it is an extra benefit here at the Cafe' to speak to issues through poetry together with respect and kindness ... passions poured out on the page allows for better discourse .. hmmmmmmm just having these thoughts now as we are speaking ... so to speak ;))))))))))))))

[wordman]

i think religion has caused more wars that liver pills
and we are being sucked dry

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes indeed Ron it has much to answer for. Many thank yous.

[Eilis]

This made me think of Odysseus without triumph, which is apt considering the subject. So many of our current troubles are self-inflicted, but then, we created these circumstances trying to outrun the old troubles that stemmed from being at the mercy of nature.

If only we could find balance. If religion could be the thing of love it was meant to be and humans could learn from each tragedy rather than living in this self-perpetuating cycle of war and famine and degradation.

A strong poem, John. We will, indeed, all end up in the same place one day. If only that could have more influence on how we live out the days we are here.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Here, here! Well said Eilis. Only contradiction for me is the need for religion to stimulate love. We can do that without the men of cloth. In fact despite them with their history of waging war and raping kids. Many thanks.