Enlightenment!

No one walks anywhere anymore.

My self portrait

_________________________________

Waves rolled across the horizon

through afternoon darkened black sky

The world we came to know shut down

as storm winds counted time gone by

 _________________________________

I walked outside just for awhile

to see what the damage had done

Only to find neighbors talking

it was so nice to meet each one

 _________________________________

We lead cold insulated lives

tucked safe and away from others

Too many electronic toys

to visit with our own brothers

 _________________________________

I noticed we don't build sidewalks

no one walks around anymore

Too afraid of the evening news

to dare visit our neighbors door

_________________________________

My friends keep their children hidden

schedule play-dates with one and all

To visit with their playstation

just to await their friends next call

 _________________________________

All you see in the news is fear

"be afraid foolish, there's no hope

Don't build friendships with your neighbors

they might just give your children dope"

_________________________________

We watch as our children grow fat

pretending we don't fear the truth

Yet we remember riding bikes

through the creek that ran in our youth

 _________________________________

When was it that we stopped running

then gave up hide and seek till dark

Too afraid of our own shadow

to let children play in the park

 _________________________________

I don't know what we were thinking

sitting with friends all day at work

Where we hire our private trainer's

to make us look like we don't shirk

 _________________________________

But that one day the power died

I knew the depth of our mistake

We should turn off the fear mongers

for salvation of our souls sake

 

Tate

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Author's Note

I find that great moments of enlightenment often come in the times we least expect them. Then in a moment of Zen brilliance things are made so clear. This is one of those times. The United States news organizations in my opinion are all about fear and ratings of the same. If you subscribe to their theory Susan Smith could be your neighbor. We spend litteraly billions on defence to allieviate our fears over the present state of terrorism. Yet more are killed by our own guns in our own country every year than have been killed all together through our history from terror. Here's an idea quit giving money to the rest of the world. Bring home most troops. Spend those billions finding a way to keep us from accidently killing ourselves! If the rest of the world wants to kill themselves, let them! The tribes of Afganistan have been killing each other for at least 1500 years. We cannot change the way they think or act anymore than we change another in a relationship. I see this all the time people thinking they can change their partners through their influence. It never works it never will, anymore than abstinance has been able to stop pregnancy over the centuries. Meanwhile we go into recessions that effect the entire world. Think of what a great life it would be if we could fund humanitarian aid to our own country, our own retirees. There are as many baby boomers ready to retire soon as all those who are already retired. We need to let the immigrants back in. We need them to support these new retirees. The Government has swelled to twice the size it was in 2001. These people don't pay Social Security taxes. They are payed by us and they invest in a different way for retirement. If this keeps up the only good retirement will be a government job spying on your neighbors.

Reviews

[Bud]

I'm sure I have enough thoughts and opinions on this to fill a novel or two. I'll save you the grief, here. LOL Man, Tate! How you have hit such a crucial, critical, and most detrimental point of truth here, my friend. I feel no pen could capture the truth of today's society any better. My heart jumped a time or two recalling how I, myself , have pondered this very thing. I'm as guilty as the next. Letting the news and like media dictate, brainwashing me with fear to the point of nearly being a recluse. Yes, I hear the cry, my friend! Indeed I do, for I am crying with you! I remember that wonderful park two blocks away, with a beautiful creek running through it. The one I used big truck inner tubes to float down, with the homemade paddle I fashioned out of an old pair of cross country skies. The tail ends nailed to an old shop broom handle. The same creek I spent many hours alone...when even then danger was known to lurk in the evening times before and after dusk. My second home that taught me many, many things concerning life for an innocent young boy. Lessons that last a lifetime for the better of good. I remember unscheduled (excepting for when it was school time) playing times. The only time mentioned was how long I could stay. I pushed to the limits there. I remember never having heard of supervised play times, outside of recess at elementary school. Sad times, that an understatement concerning what has been lost, and rendered being a mere memory for the more fortunate of us. When did we lose that control? How did we let it happen before our very eyes? What were we thinking, as you Masterfully asked here? No apology to our children or any other to follow them is enough to forgive us of our detrimentally grave error. A shame we are sure suffer judgment by those of the Highest Creed! We deserve it, though we knew not what we did. To think, that is just a slight memory of one particular area I claimed my stomping grounds. Doesn't even include the res to the neighborhood and the many, many places I traveled alone. By today's standard, the police would be looking for me with the expectations of the worst. I was out getting the most important and most valuable lessons anyone can learn...form life and nature. The Master of Masters. I do not mean to carry on, but obviously you have one of those with this one that just begs to hear a response from the readers who do remember. This is, also one of those Magnificent pieces that makes a reader yearn to go back for just one day, one hour if that is all that is allowed. Never mind any heartaches or the like. Give one hour of those days, and that would last me forever! How lucky and blessed we were. Who would have, who could have ever thought or imagined times would come to this so damn fast! Keep up your usual and most Delightfully Outstanding works of art!

[ScarletCarson]

Wow. :) I think this is great, it's very insightful. It tells us how much fear has saturated us, and how cruel the world's becoming. It's got me hopeful, got me believing that there is still time for change. A great piece! Keep it up. :)

[Melanie Jane Boicourt S..]

It is true I fear. Hopefully we can still salvage a little bit of community when disaster strikes. It could go the opposite too and have everyone trying to hide away for fear of looters.
I notice our teens would much rather text each other than talk on the phone or in person. What is up with that?
Love All, Melanie

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

Well spoken. So very true - so many of us live in fear of our own shadows and those of others. I wholeheartedly agree with your zest for adventure here. Thank you.
Light,
Siddartha

[Hanan_Maliah]

this poem hit the nail on the head...while situations demand computers, TV, and cell phones...there is still something to be said for that walk in the park...and if it rain I just enjoy it that much more...

[Kelley Quinn]

Enlightening, indeed. And you are correct with the world this day...so sad.

[JC]

Thanks for the invite...

Like the others who have commented, I have felt this way too. I really do not believe that we have anymore or less child abductions, I believe the advent of 24hour news has just made it seem that way. That is in no way a slight to those parents that have endured a nightmare as such.

Although having my child taken away from me is my BIGGEST fear, I make a conscious effort every day to open the door and say be back in an hour, as it was when I was a kid.

There are communties being built to encourage people to become more familar with each other. They are called reverse neighborhoods, where the rear of the house is actually the front. Pretty cool.

Law enforcement will tell you the most fustrating thing about communties today is that nobody knows their neighbors, sometimes not even their names. When they do a canvas, they used to be able to depend on the neighbors for help, not so much anymore.

Great write, Tate. As always, flawless, I have only praise.

JC

[Pax Analog]

Good (un)common sense reminder to regain local dignity. This is something of utmost importance re rectification of economic woes, as well. The egoic walling-in you note plays into the hands of corporatist appropriationism, THE disease of our time, masquerading as the "All-American Way."

And that lack of sidewalks reminded me of two years spent in Knoxville, TN, a temporary relocation generated by an online romance. No sidewalks, particularly in the suburbs, which is most of the population. It's kind of a miniature Los Angeles that way; minimal downtown, suburban sprawl.

As a scan of your other reviews reveals, every sensible person misses more local naturalism, actual neighbors, sidewalks, non-strategic exercise, suchlike.

Powerful theme -- one simultaneously key to the soul and natural economic health. Good work!

[Martin See]

technology has dual effects both made our lives better yet alienated us as a species...in many ways because of our techno-lifestyles our social interaction is lost...you have artfully articulated the point that the beauty of yester-years is gone and missed...i wonder what our contemporary life will be like with such gadgets, "toys" and techno advancements...will we lose all our social life for human face-to-face interaction?
i enjoy your poem, i think it's relevant as a point for consideration for policy-makers and governmental bodies to reconsider our global structure, economic structure etc. there are a multitiude of issues that is pressing and our planet might be running out of time, especially environmentally...i've always admired your work Tate...thumbs up again for your social courage to speak truthfully...

[The Wave]

"Too many electronic toys we have
To bother with any of our brothers."

it's frustrating that people are so obsessed with all of today's new gadgets more than the things we should love more..those simpler things. we are re-prioritizing our lives, sometimes without even knowing it.
society is living off of crazy advancements and super fast growing technology...and we're forgetting about what use to matter before all these things came into our lives.

i really enjoyed reading this. i think the reason why its a joy to read almost everything you write is because you are writing the very words that 'were once' or 'are now' my thoughts. it seems you're reading my mind when it comes to perspective on alot of things, and i'm sure many can relate well to what i mean.
good job.

[gimpy]

realy great it reminds me of this sho jeremiah however it's spelled

but I totaly agree with your point it's some adults have forgotten the mistakes they made when they were children and deprive theres of the ability to make mistakes withch is a pressus gift