THERE MUST BE

There must be reason, the cleric says

Life cannot be without motive

But the dusts of clerics litter the earth

And their message remains unproven.

There must be order, the lawmaker says,

Without it there would be but chaos

But we’ve never lived without a law

So we don’t know our true nature.

 

There must be schools, the learned proclaim

We cannot live without knowledge

But we are taught what they want us to know

Pretending that it’s education.

There must be traditions, the purist maintains

Proposals and promises and altars

But love cannot be regulated

Or contained in a system of custom.

 

There must be progress, the industrialist insists

Humanity must always move forward

While an inventory of missiles and bombs

Await to confirm his opinion.

There must be something better, I say

Man is more noble than those who lead him

And the sun, earth, wind, water and fire

Should be our religion and our rulers.

Reviews

[J.P. Bristow]

This was insightful...I grew up in the Javanese culture mired in the Malaysian archipelago.......surrounded by an amazing syncretism which was so inclusive and eclectic that one could almost think it Utopia. Kecak chants rode bamboo shoots......I choose to think we do the best we can because though man be beautiful and innately good in so many ways ....there is a rot that lurkes hidden deep amongst our tribes and without some semblance of order no matter how feigned we would inevitably destroy ourselves.

[DrD]

What a wonderful childhood, drenched in the wisdom of natural surroundings. I'm glad you liked this one, however cynical it may seem.

[J. J. Nightingale]

AMEN.....................................

JAZZ

[gabrielle]

Ah, the price of the so-called progress is leading us to bitter ends.

[DrD]

Thanks Gabrielle. Glad to see you here.

[Baby Ricochet]

As referring to the current state of affairs."Something's gotta be better than this s**t." Maybe a wise man said it. I'm more of a wise guy. I liked this poem. It was a pleasure.

[DrD]

Thanks, BR. Remember, there's always Mexico.