Endangered Species
It bore investigation, the gods all seemed to think
to see what’s happening on Earth that’s raising such a stink.
The clouds of poisonous vapors seemed to obscure their view
so they had to come much closer to see what they could do.
Here everyone seemed eager to screw the other guy,
sure that complete happiness was something they could buy.
They’d have to think of something to divert them from their wrath,
to deflect them from their lust for fortune to another path.
What if they gave them something to redirect their thought
from this mania for wanting what the other fella’s got?
They created Martin Cooper and made two guys named Steve,
gave them creativity and something up their sleeve
to invent these gadgets to connect us all together
so we could help each other in times of stormy weather.
But the plans of men and deities often go astray.
Even gods in heaven do not always know the way.
How could they know that iPads and tiny little phones,
the Internet and Facebook would turn us into drones
staring at our open hands or clicking selfie shots,
intent more on ourselves than in helping the have-nots?
While skulking in the background, cronies of corporation
plotted most unnoticed in corrupt cooperation
to keep the masses busy with their puzzles and their games,
their TV and their movies and their lists of contact names.
We all would be so busy staring at our palms
that no one would be worried. No one would suffer qualms
about what was happening—the greed and the pollution.
Our leaders all the problem and never the solution.
We sold our world for cyber toys, believed their staged reality.
Traded in our real world for scheduled banality.
Kardashians and Candy Crush, sitcoms and solitaire,
Twitter, selfies, Instagram—a virtual nightmare.
Have we really botched it? Will no one come to aid?
Will our species all die out? Sicken, fall and fade?
They say after Chernobyl the animals returned.
The grass and tees grew back where they formerly were burned.
Only humans can’t abide the mess that they have made.
as though they have created their own end by their charade.
It’s the way of evolution. Species come and species go
Those who do not worry as they vanish tell us so.
The thing that they don’t realize, just waiting round the bend
as species after species is herded toward its end,
of all endangered species, another they have hexed
may be homo sapiens, whose extinction may be next.
The prompts were below, investigation and eager. The links are below:
https://fivedotoh.com/2018/08/08/fowc-with-fandango-below/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2018/08/08/investigation/
But does any species more deserve our extinction? I often feel we’ve racked up some really evil karma. It can be a real bitch.
LikeLike
Agreed. And I for one am turning my back on it a bit. I just can’t stand the daily barrage of atrocities.
LikeLike
I wonder if anyone is listening, because it seems people are just glued to phones and computers. I am guilty, too. But, I try to get outside to experience the outdoors, so that I am not in a rut. I fear that with so many ego-driven heads of state today, including our own, that we may see the end of the world in our lifetime. It just takes no one listening, watching, and being very distracted. That;s where we are. So sad!
LikeLike
Exactly my point. I keep hoping there is some extraterrestrial civilization keeping an eye on us and wondering when to interfere. Or perhaps we are just a study in the collapse of a civilization.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I so hope we can find a way to civility soon, and that so much hate will dissipate. If people would just let others be themselves. I say what I do doesn’t impact you personally, then it is between me and God. This is a democracy, and even as a Christian, I say let’s not make it a theocracy, with certain Christians on power trips. I don’t want Christain law based on evangelical Protestantism no more than I want Sharia law. But, from the elections, people simply are hoodwinked and having had a black president, they seem scared that people of color will gain an edge. So despairing.
LikeLike
Loved this, Judy! Hope your back is better.🌸
LikeLike
It is. Went off four medications that had back pain and cramps as a possible side effect, started doing exercises and it is better.
LikeLike
Repost on FB.💪🏻👍🏻👌🏻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rugby.
LikeLike
“…may be homo sapiens, whose extinction may be next.” We seem to be heading in that direction with all of these anti-environmental protection actions from EPA and anti-endangered species actions from the Interior Department.
LikeLike
Exactly. Crazy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
First rule I learned in screenwriting class was, ” don’t kill the dog “. Sometimes I don’t care about the human race, but if we go, so do our dogs. So I try to make things better. Sometimes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you ever see “Old Yeller?” OMG. Whole family in tears. Whole nation in tears!!!
LikeLike