Discrepancy

We have walked on the moon

And zoomed into outer space.

Messages travel the world

At a breathtaking pace.

 

We've landed a rover on Mars

And scoured the depths of the sea,

Snapped close-ups of Saturn

And explored to the nth degree.

 

We've studied the changing climate,

Prevented many a disease,

And invented artificial

Limbs and hips and knees.

 

We've made great strides fighting cancer;

New studies are taking root

In the area of quantum physics

And molecular biology to boot.

 

With all this amazing progress,

We're still miles behind

When it comes to opening

The human heart and mind.

 

Misinformation takes precedence

Over rational thought;

A large gap separates what

Is remembered from what was taught.

 

Awareness, compassion, empathy…

Where have they gone?

Distrust, fear, and hatred

Ruthlessly live on.

 

It's almost as though some governments

Are insidiously in sync

At being flagrantly negligent

Of encouraging people to think.

 

More than ever it's crucial

To distinguish truth from lies.

It's incumbent on all of us

To open our resistant eyes.

 

As to how we treat other people,

Human actions still show

That despite all our advancements,

We have a long ways to go.

 

(9-13-15)