Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

 

Tick

A butterfly

Gently closes

Its wings

And alights

On a previously discarded

Match stick

Somewhere in the Indian Ocean

 

Tock

A thousand

Children die

Crops fail again

Another drought

And fifty million square acres

Of rain forest are lost to us each year

 

Tick

Mutant virus

Escapes from lab

Another Policeman stabbed

Tobacco kills but politicians kill even more

 

 

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

geez, this reminds me of the Demolition pieces...

all that damage with each tick of the clock...and now we wait for the next "toc"

and what will that bring.

there is just so much violence everywhere whether it be nature against humans or humans against humans...

if only we could stop the clock.

jacob

[Neville]

Darn right, I'm with you all the way & thanks, I am honoured by the comparrison, N

[barleygirl]

Better than I ever even fathomed it myself, here you have expressed why I'm a reclusive hermit in the hills avoiding feelings of utter helplessness to stop the waves of tragedy worldwide *sigh!* Fondly, Margie

[Neville]

be proud of ya self Margie.. at least you aint contributing to all the s**t and suffering... cheers me dear..... oh' by the way.. another year without a single trick or treater here.... N x

[Papaya]

it sucks doesn't it?

and where is the balance, the good news
where's the "tick-cure for cancer discovered, tock-world hunger reduced by 25%, tick-crime rate at all time low"

it seems the bad outweighs the good always.

anyway, I liked your poem. well done neville

[Neville]

thank you so much Ana.. not only a welcome but a much appreciated visit.. and yeah, it sucks... N

[Papaya]

you're welcome, was my pleasureh

[Papaya]

minus the 'h'

[Neville]

What's a 'h' between friends eh, my fine literary friend.... and thanks again.. N

[Lorry]

And on the final tock, perhaps we will realise that we were the builders of our own demise and lay off blaming that poor butterfly :)

[Neville]

Darn right, poor thing... cheers N

[Dhara_Ditzy Kat]

Mundane ticking of the clock yet so much devastation, so preventable is happening out there with each tick of the clock. I know its all happening out there but reading it kind of drives the message further home. Very effectively written Neville, it hits the reader in all the right places.

[Neville]

purrfectly put.. just waiting on the next catastrophe.. and I was pulling those punches by the way.....thank you my good friend.. N

[Dhara_Ditzy Kat]

It's always a pleasure Neville! Wishing you a great Sunday! :)

[Neville]

You too Dhara...... N

[Chris Shaw]

This is very clever Neville. Your lines in the shape of a Christmas tree and your poem posted originally on 23rd Dec 2012.Since then the clock has been ticking and things are getting worse. We now have plastic islands floating in the sea. Destruction all around us, of nature and each other. And yes politicians of the world kill even more. A very thought provoking poem, both creative and beautiful in its making. I share your concerns.

Chris

[Neville]

They are very real concerns our Chris, we are such a selfish species... cheers.. :) N

[Creepy Swine Guy]

You speak of Chaos in the title, but I detect a hint of accountability in the last line (politicians). I think this is clever and is quite insightful. We can be victims of Chaos to be sure, but we must stilbe accountable for our actions as they too have consequences.

I LOVE it.

[Neville]

MANY THANKS CREEPY, sorry for the delay in resonding I have been in Africa for a few weeks, your comments are mch appreciated, N

[.]

almost reads like the daily news. 'cept we'd rarely (if ever) read something like your first stanza in the news...
i like this, neville. it reminds me a little of the butterfly effect, starting with something as insignificant as a butterfly waving its wings, culminating in ominous chaos.
interesting structure. strong topics.
thanks for sharing

[Neville]

Thanks anon, my pleasure entirely, All Good Thingsns, N

[Lilly Negoi]

somehow this makes me think about the butterfly effect. probably because of the first stanza. aside that though, this is a perfect image of our present world...

[Neville]

Thank you Lilly for your kind and encouraging words, chaos theory and the butterfly effect are the same thing by the way. I blow you a kiss in your direction and you feel a breeze on your cheeck - All Good Things, Neville x

[Circe]

yes... very true.. everything is happening if not all at once, they will happen and it's beyond our control... unlimited possibilities, probabilities... kind of mind blowing really.. thanks for this.

[Neville]

And thank you for that, N