The Second Coming

There’s a lurid glow in the sky tonight,

Foretells of a lurid dawn,

And untold millions in their plight

Will wish they’d never been born!

 

The airwaves hiss in a ghostly voice

The static crackles their fears,

The clouds that swirl in the north tonight

Are filled with a billion tears!

 

And streets of people have crowded out

To mourn, look up at the sky,

A thousand voices are raised, and shout

The seminal words: ‘…but Why?’

 

The ground, it rumbles beneath their feet

The buildings stagger and sway,

The air so hot they can scarcely breathe

On this final Judgement Day!

 

The mountains tremble and open up

To spill each billowing cloud,

The gods have spoken with mighty roar

As the earth pours forth its shroud!

 

And pleasant waters have turned to steam,

The seas, they bubble and boil,

And out of the earth, like geysers lit

Flow the fiery spires of oil!

 

While up in the northern hemisphere

Two skeletons sit ablaze,

One in the West, and one the East

At the long, black end of days.

 

Too late to know if the West was right,

Too late for the East to rise,

A bony finger at West and East

On the buttons to Paradise!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Lena M. P.]

David;
Your imagery of the end of the world due to two factions deciding it's their way or the highway is so spot on. We worried about this in the fifties, sadly believing that we could hide under our desks or in the hallways of our schools. There were bomb shelters built in neighbors yards complete with rations. After we realized the powers of nukes we realized no one was safe. There is a song by Sting "Russians" that fits this poem perfectly. As always, your poem is superb!

[David Scott]

I thought for a moment you had found religion. A day a Biblical proportions! Alas, it is no Deity but only the mice eating each other alive again...
Loved the ending.

[Amila Jay]

Absolutely a great poem :))

[Dayran]

A poet of the times, directly from the coalmines of Wales to the rich dreamtime of the native people in the land down under.

At any other time, this would have appeared as a bible thumping fiery preacher calling on people to repent before.... . Someone who might have been there before the flood. Then again when he took his people out of Egypt. But I think there's something of the times here. I think the kids are going to say ' this is so cool!'

Introduction to faith 101 by the one who sees man's folly yet will strive to save them.

[EmpressPoetess]

I echo the others sentiments: amazing! You have deep insight and the wonderful ability to write in vivid illustrations! This one is really on point. There is only one who is right, and his day is coming when all shall know it. Bravo!

[...]

Superb!!!!

[Marie]

Wonderful storytelling here. The imagery of earth pouring forth its shroud is superb.
And the last verse says it all. When the last day comes, it won't matter who was right.

[Emerald Seas]

Superb story within a masterfully written piece. Imagery of destruction is quite vivid and leaves this reader pondering the future we leave to our children. Wonderfully crafted poem!

[allie_arrowz]

i love your poems! i love their rhythm and rhyme, they are just so beautiful. and this one's story and theme is just amazing.
you're amazing!!!!!!!!!!
:)