Porous sponges, soaking impressions up –
leeches growing from others’ blood –
Sampling all the brews from many a cup –
Humans, raised from primeval mud.
Moral questionings, to raise and relate,
As by-products beyond this span,
When to survive and procreate
Was once our only plan.
Thinking we’ve built it up with logic’s wiles
To forge a new philosophy,
yet life still carries on, through tears and smiles,
Indifferent to you and me.
While passing time brings debts and we involve
Ourselves in the maze still deeper,
Caring or indifference, now resolve,
Can we be our brother’s keeper?
As we issue forth, plucked from out some void
Given egos to disport
An hour or two before the sap’s destroyed
And then recycled to be taught.
No substitutes, no gain, naught to repay,
Nothing that was not there, you know
Is left alone, in time, to find a way –
If only what is there would show!
An old man hobbles by and blinks awhile
casting his shadow on to where
A young child lights the World up with a smile
Each search to see how far they dare.
February 1997