The Planet Reels
a quiet summer afternoon
lying on the grass on my stomach
arms outstretched, head down
ear to the earth
hugging my planet
I sense it reeling
I feel a long slow shudder
a rumble
& wonder what it could be
is it the trudging feet
of tens of thousands of homeless refugees
carrying bundles of everything they own ?
or is it
bomb blasts, landmines, mortar, gunshots exploding
one somewhere
every single second
in endless, senseless, synchronized brutality ?
or could it be
millions of anguished, simultaneous sobs
from those in pain, tortured or persecuted,
or robbed of someone they loved ?
all needlessly
the sun is benignly warm on my skin
yet I know that somewhere
connected on the crust of this measurable orb
those same rays beat mercilessly down
on mothers holding their starving children
skin caked with the salt of dried tears & sweat
money, territory, power
how much does one need ?
the planet reels
human beings are suffering
how long can we go on pretending
that there is anything
more important than this ?