On the Issue and Consequence of Greed

The spark of an idea lit a flame of desire,

And the winds of change fanned it to a fire:

As the excitement burned, its blaze reached higher;

And those who ignited it stood by to admire.

As the news of their accomplishment spread far and wide,

The accolades poured in from every side;

And as their fame did surge so did their pride,

But few real wise would dare to deride.

And the blaze grew fast into a global symbiosis,

Spreading rapidly on its various courses,

And ostensibly governed by unseen forces,

It soon poured out its venom in lethal doses.

So, the beautiful blue planet was mercilessly torched,

And all attempts to extinguish were furtively botched,

Till the ice all melted, and forests were scorched,

While the politicians debated or selfishly watched.

Now as the earth is ravaged the results are dual;

We choke on emissions while we burn up the fuel:

We are in dire need for our lack of accrual,

As we contemplate the costs of a greed so cruel.

When the forbidden fruit has all been tasted,

We’ll find it was good for as long as it lasted;

But what of all the precious wealth wasted?

And how will we restore the resources exhausted?

For the folly of those who would vainly presume

We cannot deplete what we voraciously consume,

We find ourselves stranded as we fret and fume,

And in search of redemption from imminent doom.

Well, the sum of the matter is the issue of greed;

It’s what we crave after and not what we need:

So, we tried to improve but have to concede,

That humankind is the most self-seeking breed.

Eric Anthony Trott

15^th September 2016
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On Time and No Time

I remember a time, not long ago,

When life was less pretentious;

When the pace of life was much more slow,

And folks were less contentious.

I had time to stop, and contemplate

The wonders of creation;
And some spare to participate

In the race of innovation.

Yes, there was time to pause a while,

To savour success’s flavour;

And time enough to look and smile,

At all the world with favour.

As I look back, and reminisce

Those times of copious leisure;

I must confess, just how I miss

Those times of precious pleasure.

But time slipped by, and times have changed,

And there’s no more time for boredom;

And I now live in a world deranged,

From which I dreadfully yearn for freedom.

Eric Anthony Trott

9^th September 2016; 12:02 am

Questions I Ask Myself About the Here and Now

How can we look at a watch and not see the time?
If a poem lacks sagacity, what good is the rhyme?
And what makes infidelity such a grievous crime,
But the squandering of life on pleasures not worth a dime?

Where do you go when a day’s work is done?

Do you hurry back home to spend time with a loved one?
Do you gaze in wonder at the setting sun?
Or are you weighed down with thoughts of battles not won?

Who do I turn to when I need a friend?

Am I truthful or do I just pretend?
Should I guard my dignity or should I condescend?
When is the means justified by the end?

Help me I pray. Please show me how,
I may never look down but at the world in love:
And may I always desire to look above,
For answers to questions I ask myself about the here and now.

Eric A Trott

August 23, 2016