The World Around Me

Part III · The Des Moines / Post-Military Era (2000–2015)

For some people there is nothing so magnificent
Than blood, sweat, and the cries of the innocent.
But I, I strive to suppress the violence,
The cacophony of slaughter and monotony of silence,
To shelter the unhomed and guide the lost,
And rescue the cold from the fatal frost.
But my efforts, they never seemed so hopeless
As I now look at the world around me.

Call me a shepherd caring for his sheep,
Or a singer of lullabies who puts the young to sleep.
Or see me as a sage who speaks words of wisdom
To ensure the prosperity of his clan and kingdom.
Praise me as your savior who brings salvation
Or declare me a demon, for I’m deep in despair
As I listen to the world around me.

Where are those who feel as I do,
Who know their hearts will lead them true?
Am I alone in the quest for good,
To ensure things are as they ought and should?
Because when I’m chastised for failing to succeed
In my constant struggle to do the good deed,
I can’t help but turn my back
On the dying world around me.

Composed 2000–2015 · part of the Poems collection · authorship documented on the Provenance page.