Another Year

Life bore down with its ticking hell
and delivered fraternal twins
of love and hate.

Another year gone, war got top billing
while peace never made it to the stage.

Skin, religion, politics, money created
a mixed tape of incendiary words
to play on a continuous loop until
its badgering burnt civility to ashes.

Another year of breathing,
but forgetting to live…
of standing on a precipice
praying opposition will
take its leap to death.

More weapons, less security
More anger, less love
More words, less meaning
More tragedy, less joy

…A world imploding on repeated history…

Money, politics, religion…
humans manipulate
and the Devil gets the blame.


 ©Susie Clevenger 2014



Kerry Says ~ Ah, Mephistopheles

Comments

Margaret said…
humans are good at pointing fingers at anyone but themselves…
Kerry O'Connor said…
Yep, it's easy to blame the Devil instead of assuming responsibility for our actions.

Another year gone, war got top billing
while peace never made it to the stage.


Two great lines to serve as epigram for 2014.
brudberg said…
Yes.. we are all to blame.. and seeking the devil we have to look at our own hearts.. and often the most righteous has more of him inside.
Anonymous said…
I was going to comment that I heard the Stones singing "Sympathy for the Devil" as I read this, but then you beat me to the punch! Death's rhythm section boogies in this, dances to Mephisto's waltz ... The sense of a wave rising to collapse over us was there in 1968 and it's achingly present here. Yikes and amen.
Kenia Santos said…
All true words here, men have always waged war against one another for the same reasons, haven't they? I was thinking about it while going through your poem.

As for the Devil, you reminded me of Sartre's 'hell is the other people' - yes, the problem will always be the other, the Devil.

Kiss you Susan! <3
Sherry Blue Sky said…
"A world imploding on repeated history" - you nailed it with that line, Susie. A powerful write. "Another year of breathing and forgetting to live" hits home too.
Wolfsrosebud said…
loved the opening lines... the story of Jacob and Esau seems to have continued through the ages... yet surrounded by good or evil we need to choose and let our light shine in dark places... nice write
Helen said…
Love and hate are feeling like identical twins these days ...
Unknown said…
I always follow the ying and yang method when it comes to subject matter such as this. It is easy for someone to point their finger at someone and blame them, but there is always two sides of the coin. A check and balance sort of speak.
Hannah said…
So true...as humans we need to take responsibility for our choices...I think, referring to your closing and for me, this line:

"…A world imploding on repeated history…"

So powerful...great response, Susie.
Gail said…
I really liked the truth of this. Will we ever learn?
Anonymous said…
or as Pogo once remarked, we have met the enemy and he is us ~