Another Year

December 17, 2014

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…

December 17, 2014 at 11:35 PM

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.

December 18, 2014 at 12:50 AM

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.

December 18, 2014 at 3:02 AM

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.

December 18, 2014 at 3:43 AM

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

December 18, 2014 at 7:15 AM

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.

December 18, 2014 at 7:34 AM

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

December 18, 2014 at 8:10 AM

Helen said…

Love and hate are feeling like identical twins these days ...

December 18, 2014 at 9:36 AM

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.

December 18, 2014 at 10:13 AM

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.

December 18, 2014 at 1:25 PM