The Exodus

I think it began with the airline strike,

No planes, not in, nor out,

The pilots didn’t know who to blame,

‘Not us,’ they said, ‘old Scout!’

‘It must be a Union thing,’ they said,

But then the trains had stopped,

And the truckies set their trucks in a ring

That the diesel tax be dropped.

 

A city of half a million

Where everyone stayed at home,

Petrol ran out at the bowsers, so

There was nowhere left to roam,

‘It could only happen in Westernport,

This City of the Damned,’

The people moaned, and the airwaves groaned,

And the Internet was jammed.

 

People were phoning the government

But they weren’t returning calls,

The Mayor had gone on a golfing trip,

They said, to Cedar Falls,

The ‘News’ had run out of newsprint

By the end of the second week,

So the paper stands were empty, and

The Internet was weak.

 

The ISP’s said sorry, but

Our Networks are closing down,

There’s been some trouble with hackers

From some place in another town,

The radio went on the blink

And the TV screens were snow,

The people gathered on pavements

Wandering round, no place to go!

 

The blackout lasted another week,

Then the city’s power failed,

The engineers had scratched their heads,

‘We have to get this nailed!’

But then the water had stopped its flow

Through half a million pipes,

And the fear in the city began to grow

As thieves took over the night.

 

Before the strike, the news had been

That the Yanks were back in space,

Right back up there with the Russkies

With the Chinese, saving face,

They’d each gone on an exploring binge,

The Yanks had gone to Mars,

While the Russkies tackled Saturn, and

The Chinese, out to the stars.

 

We’d heard no more, the airwaves dead

With just the noise from space,

Crackling through transistors as

More women carried Mace,

When Sunday morn, on the fourth weekend,

They got a genny fired,

Pedalling on an ancient bike,

Tooks turns, until they tired,

 

There was just enough for a laptop, though

Its batteries had been flat,

They brought a flickering picture up

To see where they were at,

They hooked it up to a satellite

And they called up Google Earth,

And ranged the view wherever they could,

But all they found was dearth.

 

The land lay waste on continents

That had housed a billion souls,

The cities and towns were quiet, as if

The people had turned to trolls,

America was a vacant place

While Europe lay serene,

And even the seas had ceased to move,

Not a breaker to be seen!

 

We live in the city of Westernport

The City of the Damned,

There isn’t a thing alive out there,

No man to till the land,

And people are starving in the streets,

I think we can’t go on…

‘But what of the rest of the human race?’

‘They disappeared! They’re gone!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[emmy bon]

nice one, it pictures the time a state face that damned period of hardship in all aspect of the economy. the struggle of life is a continuous process, we pray for change. i enjoyed reading it sir, it makes me wanna be patriotic for the betterment of my nation. well penned sir and well done.

[alcarty]

With this bleak prospect a small thought comes to me, that somewhere in caves a few remain to write on walls with charred sticks. I can't help but think the human spirit forces the hand to record the experience, and the written word continues. Another thought-provoing piece, David. Good job.

[MoriartyMesa]

Something tells me that the remaining few (esp cause their Aussie) just might turn a No Man's Land, into Man's Land. Aussies your a tough group of people, just remember that us Latinos would have taken California back again LOL.

[Valentine]

Reading this brings to mind my grandfathers and my dad..they were able to provide for big families with out all of the luxreys of electricicity..no phones..no internet..no television..I remember going to grand dads aand using a outhouse and using oil lamps..he did not want to get energized..People back then canned from the gardens they grew themselves..my dad raised 9 children the old poor way..thinking back..those were some of the best days of my life..We enjoyed nature outside..playing with our siblings etc..Today..no kids are out around here..Sad..Loved this one David..Kathie

[Enid Blake]

I have an allotment, I'd be ok ha ha. I'd need a generator for my hair straighteners though. Lol. I love discussions of apocolyptic survival. I enjoyed your poem. What would we do... ?

[Patricia B. Hepler]

A honest statement to a future where people could become dependant on foriegn oil, borrowed power, etc. A very scary thought..
Excellen write, thought-provoking topic. Enjoyed. ~pat

[Marie]

A nightmare for Westernport. The only city on earth with life. But if they could power up a laptop, I'll bet they can go on.

[Katie Lynn]

I must admit, this one gave me goose flesh! I love how descriptive you are, it really brings to mind clear images of an apocalyptic world. Great job, it's beautiful.

[MOON]

We are such a consumer society dependent on technology .If its gone we disappear unable to fend for ourselves. The humam race gone... poignant write.

[Tate Morgan]

I watched Castaway with Tom hanks the other night and was immediately smitten by the fact that we had lost the need to learn how to survive.Whether it be by making a fire or catching rain water.The further we advance into the digital age the more dependent we become upon it.If electricity stops few will survive

[Marie]

But those few will carry on. Some are born to survive.

[Tate Morgan]

I agree there are a few who just have survival in