Earth Mother

By Cliff Lake

 

Earth Mother

 

Ah yes, Life… so beautiful,

And then you die from it.

You knew that:

If you had never lived,

Then you couldn’t have died –

A conversation for a first date, no?

Or something to discuss

With a possible employer.

The world is beautiful.

The world is ugly,

And I don’t mean humanity,

Though we’re certainly no help…

Allow me to explain:

No matter what the stories say,

This place isn’t all flowers,

And horses,

And moonlight,

No.

It’s also volcanoes,

And cobras,

And radiation poisoning.

There’s no getting away from that.

The earth is abundant and desolate.

The earth is barren and lush.

This earth is all dichotomy,

And all duality.

The planet coddles you until it kills you.

Reality doesn’t give a shit how you feel about it -

Reality just is.

This earth exists without you.

This universe was here before you.

Want to tell me reality is merely perception?

Fine. Stick a needle into your leg,

Then tell me that it isn’t real,

While you perceive the pain.

Moving on.

This world is beautiful,

This world is ugly,

Though where you stand may not be.

How soon can that change?

Now?

Or now?

Yes.

That quick, and all very natural.

So, what is the point?

Let me ask you this:

Does there have to be a point?

 

Cliff Lake 7/15/2023

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2023

Location: Dalton, MA, USA

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