The Noncalypse

Then we who cheered for the apocalypse

Return, as planets stagger from alignment,

Back to work. So we make our rounds

And cradle our heads upon our palms;

We run our circles through the world

That trace the ways our fathers erred.

We dream, and yet the sky never falls

And the rising sun defies augury.

No trumpet sounds, no revenant comes

To rescue us from the nine to five;

Only the daydreams of the attendant,

The sighs of men and their machines,

The odd beauty of the orange light

On crooked steps and dusty shelves. 

Reviews

[Eilis]

This makes me think of the monotony and numbness of expecting something that never presents as a major event but instead as this daily creep that we tend to miss because we learn to live with it. The myth of total, instant destruction satisfies something in us, I think, because we do need to believe in our own grandness. In with a bang and out the same—regardless of beliefs the presence of human existence is something instantaneous and it is comforting in a way to believe we will disappear the same.

If we are given the grace of instant destruction, our downfall is also mythic and we hold no responsibility for the disappearance of so many good things at our hands. The resilience of the planet will ensure its renewal barring some complete destruction of structure but we will disappear into the sands of time as quickly as we entered. And it is likely to be our fault. The unfortunate realty for us is that that quick disappearance will be slow and agonizing for our species but merely a speck on the timeline of life. The relativity of time will swallow us whole. I love how your poem depicts this sort of boredom we feel at being reminded of things we can’t really comprehend. Things that seem so distant it appears likely we’ll never see them. We crave excitement even if it means we lose everything. Especially if we imagine we might be heroes in the losing. I really enjoy the tone of this and how it imparts a feeling of being strung up by time and devoured by our own malaise. Great work as ever.

[Casey Truax]

It is vanity that makes us think our end will be spectacular, or that of all generations we would belong to the very last. More likely, yes, our demise will be slow and unglamorous.

[CD Campbell]

I catch myself wishing for it. Why? Granted, it's a little strange around here nowadays, but complete annihilation? Maybe it's in our nature to wish destruction when faced with the unknown. In a religious aspect, the coming resurrection should bring paradise. Judgment. I've heard of paradise, can it be as wonderful as lying in bed all day with a naked woman who has stolen your heart? Or is it the sentiment of feeling eternally tired and wanting to take everyone with you in fiery ball? I think you're right. We're just bored. We're annoyed and we don't even try anymore.

I liked this from beginning to end. It easily kept my attention and got me thinking. Which is good? Some would say, not a good idea. The imagery was top notch. CD

[Casey Truax]

True, it is boredom and frustration that make us want to wipe the slate clean. However death, whether personal or global, is the easy way out. We find we have to take responsibility, and that the world we wished to leave is better than we gave it credit for.