an ode to humanity, possibly …..


back in the day
a message was preached
there's no such thing as society
just individuals, only individuals
in pursuit of self-interest
which rooted, grew, flourished
and community crumbled
a little

back in the day
a message was preached
there's no finites, no absolutes
just bubbles of self-defined reality
alternative facts, truths and meaning
with certainty in my diversity
common language failed
a little

back in the day
a message was preached
there's no definable morality
no fixed behavioural norms
you choose yours and I'll do mine
in widening ethical divergence
culture and family withered
a little

back in the day
a message was preached
that in the hierarchy of being
my individual freedom, my rights
trump social responsibility
with licence superseding law
common good decayed
a little

back in the day
a message was whispered
along the corridors of power
copied in the markets, out on the streets
the eleventh commandment rules
'Thou shalt not get caught'
kicked away, foundations fell
significantly

but others say
‘a person is a person only
in relationship with other people’
atomization is not good enough
self-interest will never suffice
‘who is my neighbour’ they ask
so community coheres
a little

others search out
diverse patterns of meaning
evidence of the truths of being
explored by artist’s brush, writer’s pen
lost chord of the universe sought
by scientists and musicians alike
the language of infinity grows
a little

yet others ponder
humanity, this social animal
that despite survival of the fittest
‘it takes a whole village to raise a child’
so I doing me and you doing you
will never be good enough
for we must do us
a little

others wrestle
with those rights of being
of believing and becoming
that we owe ourselves and others
of what we can expect of them
and they can require of us, to
'love mercy, act justly, walk humbly
a little

still others know
that might is not right
ends do not justify means
God’s not on the side of big battalions
that secrets will always out
and lies will never hold
so integrity takes root
a little

in this present day
what hope is asked, dreamed
amidst humanity deconstructing and rebuilding
society disassembling and reconstituting
community disintegrating and reforming
family dismantling and reshaping
for what do we strive
a little


The Eleventh: 4th February 2025
..... Reviewed: 8th February 2025