Thursday 3 September 2015

Watchman



Tis the beginning of that soon to pass,
sun swallowed in abyss of time.  

(He has the keenest eye
and watches waiting.)   

At dawn, birds’ chorus Earths wondrous splendour
as mankind softly stirs from slumber, wiping sleep from weary eyes,
yet once cleared, sees naught other than a selfish path to travel,
blind is he, oblivious.  

Elsewhere chaos reigns as those dispossessed,
afraid of each and all tomorrows,
seek refuge in some foreign land,
dreaming hopeful dreams of milk and honey. 

In their midst the martyrs sleep,
sleep in guise of wailing want and need,
and once bathed in welcome warmth of milk and honey,  
good is by schism rent asunder
as martyr dreams a paradise of dark-eyed virgins,
insatiable. 

It is the beginning of the end
and He who has the keenest eye
is watching, waiting.

Anna :o] 

The above inspired by dVerse Tuesday prompt posted by the lovely Grace, her prompt was that of: What does the watchman see?  Also inspiration derived from Isaiah 56:10-12, which really doesn’t offer words of hope (I think).  

I missed the deadline for Tuesday as I only wrote today, so am offering to dVerses Open Link Night, the bar hosted by the lovely Mary.  Cheers Mary.

Am I pessimistic about mankind and this world we live in (seek to destroy?), I guess I am, and I worry greatly for my children and grandchildren’s futures.  Am I paranoid?  I don’t think so.  But I  do live in hope of mankind’s betterment… religion, hate and greed aside...

Image:  Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Author:  Higor Douglas

17 comments:

X said...

I do not think that you are paranoid. Maybe a realist.
It is a rather bleak world in which we live, with hotspots
popping up daily with unrest and ---

You only have to look as far as our political offerings
here in the US to realize, the end can not be too far off
and well, that might just be a relief.

brudberg said...

Alas I share a lot of your dark feelings.. somehow I think earth will find a way of rid herself of humans.. The only hope is to really believe it's possible to change. Maybe acting rational and be a sense of urgency is what we need to paint.. to bring real and rational change.. it might not take that much from each one of us.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

This is such a thought provoking piece!

Mary said...

Well, I think you have described the world as it is. Sadly. We really must try to make changes while we yet have time.

Scarlet said...

I have the same morbid and horrifying thoughts about these kind of news ~ I am hopeful for the ever watchful Watchman though ~ Thanks for joining us for OLN Anna ~

Grace

Anonymous said...

I love the last two stanzas.

Glenn Buttkus said...

Omniscience, yes /He that has the keenest eye/ the supreme Watcher. I is hard to keep the edges of our anger, & paranoia pliable, soft, or kind. I strong diatribe against chaos.

ayala said...

Sadly the world needs a long due overhaul.

Gabriella said...

I see the world as grim in many ways but maybe not in the same way as you do. I feel sorry for the people who take risks to flee their countries because all they have is fear and desperation. I do not believe that all they want is to destroy the countries that might welcome them.

Anonymous said...

The Watchman of this poem is the one who sees all and writes the Jeremiad, too aware perhaps, or know more than can be said. Like watching the waves of dispossessed arrive on Europe's shores, knowing what awaits.

Other Mary said...

You protray a somber future. The biblical language adds to the apocalyptic, prophetic feel of the piece.

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

A frighteningly good read.

I especially liked your alliteration here:
"sleep in guise of wailing want and need,
and once bathed in welcome warmth of milk and honey..."

Victoria said...

Anna--I share your realism (pessimism?). The whole saga of so many refugees is appalling. If that were the only concern, perhaps we could handle it, but so much turmoil and unrest.

Katie Mia Frederick said...

Well.. one thing for sure is..
there will no escaping religion
as pew poll suggests in the
coming decades organized
religion will only explode
as those outside
of religions
are much
less fertile..
simple math..
so any chance
of change will
come within
religions
as they
are simply
going to
continue
to rule
with
human
hearts
so i will make my
change there..
as change
comes
within
places
of real
influence
a few clerics and
the pope if on the
same sheet could
change the world
quickly now..
more quickly
than politics
for sure..:)

grapeling said...

this world is a perilous place ~

Marina Sofia said...

Glad you linked with your watchman poem, Anna. I can feel all the weight of sorrow and despair - the poem is topical, without becoming preachy.

Grace said...

Anna, can you please email me at: sometimesg@yahoo.com ?

I have something to ask you, smiles ~