Times past, our driving word was ‘could’
As in we could do this or that
To help the world, to do some good
Then, strong ideas asked if we would
Let them then, step up to bat
Respect was asked, when we used ‘could’
That this meant work, we understood
And some attempts fell fairly flat
Yet help we did, and did some good
That fashion’s out, replaced by ‘should’
Imperative, we’re spoken ‘at’
Time’s passed when arguments have ‘could’
One must comply, it’s understood
By those who dictate online chat
Now ‘only we’, can do some good
And half the people see falsehood
When wrapped in hate, ideas are spat
It’s hard to see this do much good
Perhaps we should re-visit ‘could’
Cliff Green 2017
Oct 2, 2017
Oct 2, 2017 at 12:41 AM UTC
Times past, our driving word was ‘could’
As in we could do this or that
To help the world, to do some good
Then, strong ideas asked if we would
Let them then, step up to bat
Respect was asked, when we used ‘could’
That this meant work, we understood
And some attempts fell fairly flat
Yet help we did, and did some good
That fashion’s out, replaced by ‘should’
Imperative, we’re spoken ‘at’
Time’s passed when arguments have ‘could’
One must comply, it’s understood
By those who dictate online chat
Now ‘only we’, can do some good
And half the people see falsehood
When wrapped in hate, ideas are spat
It’s hard to see this do much good
Perhaps we should re-visit ‘could’
Cliff Green 2017
This is about today's painful state of discourse, and the imperious nature of trying to win hearts and minds through bludgeoning...