There was a time, not so very long ago
When our world stood upright and still
Then birds twittered and bees hummed,
Then children laughed in glee
Present seemed a safe space
And golden future beckoned merrily
Skirmishes and tussels came and went
Rhythamic waves from deep seas;
Lulled to sleep in our cozy cocoons
We did not, we could not see
The churning within, the heaving beneath
Our earth turning upside down
In utter amazement our eyes wide
We saw the chasm that creased
And "us" and "them" stood face to face
Greatest of adversaries
Togetherness a mirage
Peace unsteady on fragile wings
Red hot burning center crude reality
Bare fangs sheathed neath humanity.
