Look But Don't Touch

For us to feed the fires of creation

those lightbulbs and silicon dreams,

things we apply the word 'power' to

like children's games of imagination,

we've thrust our hands into the hive

clueless on how to remove the honey

from our fingers without us getting;

stung.

We 'wave' it about across the Earth

spreading it thinly over everything;

until almost nothing remains sacred

not the food, not the air, or water.

A slow death, is no real death at all,

like a lifetime of cigarette smoking,

it's the worst years of your life that

are stolen.

Then the world wakes up stretching,

spilling the oceans all over the lands

and washing out all the more honey

back into its fertile, swift currents,

while we sit back and watch swarms

get frighteningly bigger and bigger,

hoping a splash of water will stop an

attack.

While we continue to lick our fingers

and to constantly look for new hives

to tap, instead of avoiding a danger,

that but for our foolish human pride

we would never have even attempted    

otherwise; and allowing us to be free

to use our knowledge and ingenuity...

to prosper. 

 

   

Author's Note

Social commentary on the use of Atomic Energy.

Reviews

[Troy Henson]

A strong piece Astro and one that I found you have attached passion with. Your a believer of things Astro that some are not and I enjoy reading what you write a lot of the time because of your honesty that you allow yourslef to put forward.

Great write.
Regards
Troy

[Astro]

Well thank you for saying so Troy. I have found your honesty refreshing as well. Some might view it as depressing at times, but you are simply expressing how you feel without sugar coating it. Thanks for the review my friend.

[The Verse: A Poetry Jou..]

The metaphors and eloquence in your writing excuse the fact that it is a "Comm. on Atomic Energy". It's a very good poem, even better your use of such unique and good metaphors.

[Astro]

Thank you very much that is a review I find quite complimentary, as it would seem that you are able to view my work as artistic as well as, socially relevant. Thanks a bunch.

[Aseel]

very nice porovokative poem and a very good use of metaphore . the use of Atomic energy in the modern world has always drawn my attention and I always tried to find the real ansewr, if we really need nuclear energy in the next 50 or 100 year after what politician say that natural resources is going to vanish . I agree with you that nuclear energy is a curse rather than a blessing especially if used as weapons .This curse i am actually witnessing in the southern part of my country ,where caner diseases are among the heighest in the world because of the use of nuclear weapons in the past to benefit a sector of people on the cost of poor and innocent humans

[Astro]

Thank you for such an honest review Aseel, I may not live near your country but I am aware of the horrible consequences of using radioactive weapons. I hope that we as humans can find a better way to get our energy needs, or find safer ways to manage nuclear power plants, as well as discontinue our penchant for war. Good luck to you and your country, may you swiftly find a solution to the radioactive plague affecting your people.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Atomic energy, huh? Well, you know we have differing opinions on this idea ;)

I will, however, put these things aside and say I really like the strength and conviction of this piece. You seemed to write this with a bit of "frenzy" attached, with sort of plays with the idea of a reactor going "critical" if you know what I mean. Great wording and phrasing and a powerful sentiment of your own personal beliefs. Nicely written.

[Astro]

I thought that you might be a little divided on this one, lol, but you are the consomate professional and I thank you for your candid and thoughtful review.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Of course... The piece itself is written well (one of your best perhaps), and that's probably because you feel strongly about the subject matter. Whether it is something I agree with or not does not diminish the "way" that it was written, and that is what is important...to me at least :)

[Astro]

Well much appreciated as always, and thanks for the extra bit of compliment too. :D

[Electric Scribe]

I love it! I think it is witty, full of spunk, and totally creative slap in the face. Good write thanks for sharing this with us.

[Astro]

You're welcome, glad you liked it. Thanks for the nice review.

[Richard]

and you know, anybody I've met from BC have always been just damn nice and really passionate about government and social and natural affairs ... just really in tune :)

[Astro]

I'm originally from the east coast but I thank you again just the same. There is a lot of heinous fuckery afoot all over the world that if we sit back and let it continue, it will only be us to blame.

[Richard]

no problem :) I'm actually from Halifax Nova scotia originally ... which is also full of nice people :)
you're so right about that ... I completely agree, and it's not just floating over my head and I would imagine most people have some conscience about it, you would hope ... so I think individually the best thing we can do is write great poetry and you nailed it

[Astro]

Thanks for the 'wicked' compliment buddy!

[Richard]

hah you got it man!

[Richard]

man, this is really smart and really tight and smooth and you can tell you're Canadian because of inclusion of things like caring about nature and even honey, it's pretty sweet and this was fantastic

[Astro]

Well you're pretty perceptive to distinguish my nationality, when there are people all over the world that probably feel this way, but I thank you for the kind review and hope to check out your work some when I can.

[Richard]

hah well, be it as it may ... it was a compliment

[Astro]

I'll take it my friend, thanks again.

[Dana Alsamsam]

an educated anarchist, you are. you should send this to the government haha! this is a topic that i don't know much about yet after reading i agree with you... so you've done your job. i'm enjoying your political pieces.

[Astro]

Well whether you are abreast of the situation or not, it doesn't take a genius to see that when it comes to meeting the emergy needs of humans we have bit off more than we can chew on more than one occasion. Thank you for your review and support of my writing it means a lot.

[Dana Alsamsam]

never a problem!

[Astro]

I feel the same way ;)

[Vile]

Hm, interesting write. You propose some very intriguing thoughts and provoke thought in the reader, which is always a mark of gret writing. You use your metaphors and analogies woderfully. Paints a nice picture for the reader to comprrehend what you are saying vividly. Well done man.

[Astro]

Thanks Vile, glad you could see the wisdom within the words.

[Jack...]

Astro, you dive deep in this one and pose some interesting questions or it is statements. Either way thought provoking. Very well done my friend, like the format design.

[Astro]

Thanks a lot Jack, I usually just feel something has to be said. So, it's more of a statement but it does pose questions as well, as to 'why?' we allow ourselves to believe atomic energy is safe to play around with and the 'best' source for energy. Glad you liked it.