"Dead land merchant" (a semi-epic poem)

[shadowknows69]

Across miles of the dead lands I roam
Astride my steed of steel and chrome.

I seek out the settlements the survivors have made.
I bring with me knowledge and items to trade.

Old now my soul and my body a shell
Useless to all save that which I sell

Information my barter if I’m lacking in goods
Tales of the outside, and I tell all I should.

I know the roads that are safe and those still in peril
Where the air is still clean and waters still sterile.

Not just current events, I try to bring more
Histories and tales of how the world was before.

Retelling what brought us to the place we now find.
I dream of the day it all leaves my mind

How humanity sowed its own seeds
Of its own destruction, placing its greed over its needs

30 years ago when I was a younger and stronger man
When the Hell began. When they bombed Iran

All the horsemen of prophecy were let loose on that day
War, Famine, Pestilence and Death. Devil come to collect his pay.

The government zealots told us all not to fret
Despite some setbacks we’d win the day yet.

The army of “Jesus” it seemed
Wasn’t doing as well as the Good Book had deemed.

Apparently the Generals of “God” didn’t have a clue.
What a billion pissed off Muslims could potentially do.

Chaos and death reigned, for a decade, the oil barely ran.
And a radioactive hole where once sat Tehran.

The Rubicon crossed the world joined the fray
World War Three they called it and we do to this day.

But lost in time it is as the many wars before.
Only the few left of my age remember anything more.

What’s left of us now history will ignore.

For what future can come?
Man’s time soon is done.

No lessons learned, barbaric as ever, as our cities and country burned.
Crops barely grow now. Animals are scarce and we don’t dare eat our herds.

We go through the motions.
Trying to rebuild on dead lands, souls devoid of emotion.

Watching friend and lover slowly or quickly die.
By brutal violence or cancers. Time after time. No tears left to cry.

Killing each other for food, land and gas.
Even in the end, nothing changes at last.

I ride through the dead lands. Merchant and prophet of things past.
Hear my stories at your peril. The truth will cut you like glass.

I know the history of our doom, offering no light in the gloom.
Just a dead land merchant, selling the story of our ruin.

[bryant69]

1. Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows lyrics

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together,
Brighter than a lucky penny,
When you're near the rain cloud disappears, dear,
And I feel so fine just to know that you are mine.

My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
That's how this refrain goes, so come on, join in everybody!
Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way
When you're in love to stay.

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together,
Brighter than a lucky penny,
When you're near the rain cloud disappears, dear,
And I feel so fine just to know that you are mine.

My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
That's how this refrain goes, so come on, join in everybody!

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way
'Cause you're in love, you're in love,
And love is here to stay!

By Lesley Gore

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[shadowknows69]

2. Thank you bryant

I think we needed that contrast in this thread lol.

[annabanana]

3. It is not hard to picture, is it. .

tough stuff.

[blondie58]

4. wow- this is great- dark, but great

did you write this, Shadow? If so, I think that the solitude that your cab can provide is a place to get ideas. I also thank Bryant for those contrasting words- the difference is night and day.

[shadowknows69]

5. If I post something

It's usually and original piece of mine unless I state otherwise. Kind of my own "Road Warrior" tribute I guess.

[blondie58]

6. that is what I thought, Shadow

but you really have a gift with words.

[otherlander]

7. That is really powerful.

The World is a Beautiful Place
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

The world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't mind happiness
not always being
so very much fun
if you don't mind a touch of hell
now and then
just when everything is fine
because even in heaven
they don't sing
all the time

The world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't mind some people dying
all the time
or maybe only starving
some of the time
which isn't half bad
if it isn't you

Oh the world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't much mind
a few dead minds
in the higher places
or a bomb or two
now and then
in your upturned faces
or such other improprieties
as our Name Brand society
is prey to
with its men of distinction
and its men of extinction
and its priests
and other patrolmen

and its various segregations
and congressional investigations
and other constipations
that our fool flesh
is heir to

Yes the world is the best place of all
for a lot of such things as
making the fun scene
and making the love scene
and making the sad scene
and singing low songs and having inspirations
and walking around
looking at everything
and smelling flowers
and goosing statues
and even thinking
and kissing people and
making babies and wearing pants
and waving hats and
dancing
and going swimming in rivers
on picnics
in the middle of the summer
and just generally
'living it up'
Yes
but then right in the middle of it
comes the smiling
mortician.

[hermetic]

8. You're back then.

Cool.