And After Them

By Cliff Lake

 

And After Them

 

Here we stand again upon the brink –

To choose darkness or choose light,

Into degradation to sink,

Or to keep kindness in our sight.

 

What emergency is constantly drawn?

What calamity dozes waiting?

What knife-edge must we live on?

Must we be always anticipating?

 

Are we to be always manipulated?

Moved like pawns upon the board.

Why is there always something to be hated?

Must we again take up the sword?

 

Through our masses runs a dark vein,

An imperative that thirsts for blood.

Will we allow this madness to reign,

And be swept up in an angry flood?

 

Can we at last have some surcease,

Deny all with the heart of stone.

Can we find within us peace,

Allow the raver to consume its own.

 

Turn your back to anger’s ill!

Is raging how you would spend your day?

The madmen will go on hating still,

Let them on each other prey.

 

We can outlast them as they seek death,

It will not evade them long.

Let them wonder with their last breath,

How we have remained so strong.

 

Life on this Earth has ever been,

Continuing in spite of war.

It will continue long after them,

And let us breathe easy once more.

 

Cliff Lake 7/6/2024

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2024

Location: Wichita, KS, USA

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