A Single Disaster - pipTalk Forums

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

Open Poetry #35

A Single Disaster

WindWalker
Senior Member

since 2001-10-12

Posts 1218

0 posted 2005-05-03 01:17 AM

Current statistics say
250,000 people a month perish
from being denied such basic needs
as safe drinking water and sanitation –
and that adds up to more
than the total death toll
of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

The world of man was moved
by that one single disaster:
billions of dollars changing hands
in bids to be the ones
recognized for helping those struck by the tragedy,
and yet, what about these others
whose lot it is to die each month
victims, not of natural disaster
but of indifference and oppression?

Where are the headlines for them?
Non-existent.
There are two very good reasons
why their deaths are unworthy of publication:
one: it would mean exposing
the great evils of The System,
a System that owns the Media –
and two: it would make a boring study,
month after month
and who would watch the “news”
or buy the “papers”
if all they showed
were these victims of “progress” –
or should I call it,
man’s inhumanity to man?

The need to see gory stories on the “news”
appears to be human “nature”
and gore is what sells.

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-16

Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

1 posted 2005-05-03 01:52 AM

Nice writing...James

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

2 posted 2005-05-03 06:57 AM

very touching write...yes

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

3 posted 2005-05-03 09:14 AM

Sadly, only crashing monster boulders crack the turtle's hard shell, while a daily onslaught of bothersome 'pebbles' doesn't even leave a dent. But when the turtle is overturned???
Perhaps as a species, we humans are already too far over the edge, about to flip over. And who shall write the final story, or care enough to want to know about what happened?

WindWalker
Senior Member

since 2001-10-12

Posts 1218

4 posted 2005-05-04 10:23 AM

Thank you all for your comments.

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.