NIHILISTIC

Something about the way

a disarray of atoms collided

deep in the gaseous past

conspired to ordain that

it would rain today

on my parade.

Author's Note

I wrote this while sitting on the couch with my father as we watched Ronald Reagan's funeral procession in Washington, D.C... I thought that was an over-the-top special effect.

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

We are cogs and nodules in a machine we do not understand, cells in the living organism of the universe. Or maybe we're just God's guinea pigs in a contained experiment. Opinions seem to vastly vary.

[Vol]

FGF,
According to C. S. Lewis, on earth, we crucified Christ, and are abhorred by the rest of the universe.
Vol

[FGFRANKLIN]

Christ said he came to lay down his life and no man could take it from Him but that He had the power to lay it down and take it up again. And that it was a commandment from His Father. John 10:18 So we really can't be blamed or credited for the working plan of God according to Jesus. I like Lewis. I read Narnia, The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity by him, he was a brilliant mind.

[Vol]

FGF,
People often mistake religion for something to do with God... Like He's up there with a spoon stirring the soup, and knocking us around, You can't have it both ways, free will AND the right to blame God for everything that happens. Jesus also said, in John 10:10, that he came to give us life and that more abundantly. Like the song... "Don't "Worry, be Happy," The true Gospel.
Vol

[FGFRANKLIN]

Religion is the greatest enemy of simple faith that exists. It was so in the time of Jesus and it is still so today.

[Vol]

I agree... It astounds me that the church has gotten it all wrong since Acts... And not just a little.

[FGFRANKLIN]

Bible in a nutshell: God loves us all but hates our sin. God died for our sins so He could go on loving us without having to admit our weakness. But the catch is that we have to admit our weakness and go to Him to receive His free gift of Salvation. Love covers all sin. The end. The rest is just background noise to me.

[Vol]

Absolutely

[nadia dmitri]

This is such a charming little piece, I wonder what it would be like formatted as a haiku? Amazing job, this made me smile

[Vol]

Nadia,
Thank you. I really like it myself. It is one of only three I've committed to memory and refer to it whenever things go wrong...
Vol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This poem reminds me of the day Kennedy was assassinated...as a sunny day in November turned very cloudy and wet with tears.
j.

[Vol]

Jacob,
I'm from a family of Republicans, and we were not fans of JFK. It was a watershed moment in my life and perceptions when, while watching the funeral, I noticed a tear roll down my father's cheek.
Vol

[Casey Truax]

I like the irony of this one. Thinking that the universe is conspiring against you is just as irrational as thinking it is on your side.

[Vol]

Casey,
The longer I live, the more I believe the universe has a nasty sense of humor.
Vol

[Lorry]

Brilliant summation of the "s**t happens" syndrome that plagues us all into believing/deluding ourselves into think we are actually in charge! 😊
Ah, what fools we are! 😊

[Vol]

Lorry,
Exactly! It is why I never make plans. The longer the leat time. the longer the universe has to come up with increasingly spectacular ways to throw up roadblocks...
My youngest grandson was announced at Christmas of 2016, to be born the end of August. My son lives in Sarasota, Florida a three day drive. Early in September was my fiftieth class reunion in Pensacola, right on my way. It was perfect!
I had over eight months to plan... so did the universe. Hurricane Irma rolled up the west coast of Florida, destroying everything in its path... I missed the Reunion, and didn't get to meet my newest legacy until November...
The universe has a nasty sense of humor!
Vol

[Lorry]

I reckon the universe is the last thing that you're still allowed to call a "Moody b***h!"
And today, the newspapers take such glee in telling us that, despite the fact their is still a five figure amount of Scots without power for two days thanks to our last storm on Tuesday, that another week long barrage starts today and will be low single figures all week! Just in time for our National Festival, which we call the bells, or hogmonay and ne'erday celebrations, which is when we all get drunk and act like a teenager on coke all week!
Further proof that the big guy with the beard that lives in the clouds might just have shaken his head at us for the last time and decides just to reset our factory settings and start again.
I can't say I'd blame him if he did! 😊

[Vol]

Hahaha...In America, we blame either Biden or Trump for stuff like that and leave God out of it...