Self inflicted injury

Old men are asleep in chairs,

dreaming of tragedy,

mankind's small epitome

and the moon blood red,

like the Bible said;
as Lemming like,
we turn our eyes to the sky,

though only for the finale,

as the distraction of 9 to 5
becomes of no account
and the concern of the priest

rules paramount.

And then, what of afterwards?

Discuss, if you will class,

the daily life of Amoeba Proteus, 

the supposedly simplest life form; 

yet masters of asexual mitosis.

Completely resistant to radiation,

nuclear oblivion no more

than a passing irritation to them,

(Einstein eat your heart out.)

They would simply continue,

with the higher hand perhaps

changing a few things around,

dismissing that aberrant warlike gene

accidentally programmed into the first attempt;

and perhaps a few hundred thousand 

years later, along lopes second time around,

hopefully a little less hairy than before.   

Whatever the eventual outcome,

I will still prefer apples to oranges,
red wine to white,
a leaf spiraling

the industry of ants,
fish darting;

and my sweet little dog Holly

will always love me,

her faith greater than mine in the 

survival of our species.

After all, who would open the tin

if I were not around;

if there was no sound,

save, as Paul Simon put it,

'The sound of silence.' 

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Dogs have it simple...they just love...but the world is so complicated now...we learn too much and there is too much technology...oh for a simpler time again...and yet what a wonderful world it would be if we could do it over in simple terms, but without the war...
I love S&G...they were the reason I started writing poetry, along with my best friend Jane in college, also a wonderful poet.
This is maybe my favorite ever of yours...Just simplicity, faith and love.
"Let's go back , let's go back, let's go way on way back then"( Aretha F.)
j.

[Beccy]

Among others, I grew up with Simon and Garfunkel; they were and remain my father's firm favourites and to me Paul Simon reigns lyrically supreme.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and even though Simon recorded these two songs solo, when they get together and sing "Slip Slidin' Away" and "American Tune"
wow.

[Eilis]

Beccy, you have a wonderful way of mixing the macro and micro in your poems and offering life lessons through the lens of careful thought. There’s an intimacy, like conversation with an old friend, that makes these lessons seem more palatable. I love your mixing of knowledge with feeling. Balance is important and you demonstrate how thought and feeling can live in harmony and provide a kind of map for navigating difficult circumstances.

The resilience of nature does provide a glimmer of hope. If we screw this up as badly as it seems we might then there’s the hope that the whole experiment might succeed in a second act. What might the next stage of humans learn from our relics. Hopefully that peace stretches farther than dollars and bombs.

There’s a sense of inevitability about the times we live in. Your poem gets at the heart of that, but also shows that despair isn’t really helpful. After all, emotions like that only truncate the opportunity to experience what joy we have. Who knows if we’ll even live long enough to see the apocalypse - or tomorrow for that matter. The dog loves in spite of everything and keeps trusting there will be another grand sunrise. Perhaps we can learn from her.

Really enjoying your work.

[h d e rushin]

DOGS ARE NOT PROGRAMMABLE WITH A READ-ONLY MEMORY THAT CAN BE ERASED. THEY DONT FALL OUT OF LOVE OR FAIL TO COMFORT OUR HURTS. AND AS MUCH AS DOMESTICATION DRAGS THEM AWAY FROM ANY ECOLOGOCAL NITCH, THEY REMAIN LITTLE MINIATURE WILD THINGS THAT EAT OUT OF ROUND CANS AND BAGS OF SAWDUST AND CHICKEN SCRAPPLE. I MEAN, THEIR DEPENDENCE IS ALSO OUR DEPENDENCY ON THEIR DEPENDENCY. WE STILL PREFER THE SECURITY OF SIMPLICY AND ALL ILLUMINATIONG DISCOVERY OF SUCH MUNDANE DISCLOSURES. NO PRETENSE IN YOUR POETRY BECCY. JUST FABULOUS/ DANA

[Gee]

I'd imagine the cockroaches are counting down the days to when they can go about their business without being flattened by an over toasted holidaymakers book.
Would be a great place if we all only wanted to be fed, watered and loved a little.
Always enjoy reading you.
Hope you and the young fella are well

[Kesch (Finding Julia)]

as Paul Simon put it,
'The sound of silence.'

Love that part, love Paul Simon, This is wonderful really, Love the emotions through out this

[alanwgraham]

Brilliant Beccy. What a poetic statement of our self inflicted predicament. It's all the more powerful for being underStated. The sound of silence sounds good to me as long as I've someone to speak to.
Cheers.
Alan

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

No matter what circumstances we face we must remain ourselves and not let life change who we are.
A very emotionally in depth poem.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed a very worthy poem written with such grace and deep insight as it explores the meaning of being and man's own folly, especially if led by religion. Through it all the protagonist sticks to the everyday joys in order to survive.

[Crowley]

How would the It identify with itself without exterior observation right? Awww Holly, its good you are there to open the tin, she deserves it. this is a mind bending philosophical masterpiece. I love the places it goes and the thoughts it creates. Amazing work Beccy, really loved this!!!

[barleygirl]

Your poem feels a little bit like those (not believing in "climate change") explaining how there have always been times when it seemed the planet (or mankind) was reeling off track, but it always comes back. Even tho I feel our current global situation feels pretty dire, I also believe there's still a bunch of good stuff going on, too. Since nobody can be right or wrong, I'll stick with those who see it as in your poem . . . let's just celebrate all the reasons we might survive! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Robert Trakofler]

ha! I love where this starts and finishes a great weave and a wonderful leap to your creation! my favorite creature is the microscopic Tardigrade other wise known as water bears they have even taken them into the radiated cold vacuum of space and they still survive:) my nickname growing up was bear so i have a special fondness for them. the epic reality of our mutual demise as a species has always been tempered in my mind by the fact such creatures exist as well dear Beccy!!!!! enjoyed this one