Modern Ruins

Time is money, money is time, though I’d like to see you eat either one
The tokens we value, believe have worth, are extremely puzzling to me
It’s symbolic I realize, they can provide little to no shelter by themselves
Yet we treat them as real, pursue them with zeal, cry if we miss them

They offer no true protection, a refrigerator box provides more shelter
Domiciles, rarely seen, a moment to walk the dog, chauffeur the kids
Late, our house god flickers, tells us what’s good and bad and useless
In a stupor, we fall in bed to dream of still more, exhausted by misuse

When and how did we become so distracted by things that do not matter
Upset when our child plays with the box, ignores the expensive new toy
Forgetting imagination is a better toy than anything they might receive
A doll’s a doll, a truck’s  a truck, an empty cardboard box can be anything

Now our boxes sport Xs and tell us what to play, no imagination needed
Haven’t you ever even wondered what and why we subtly teach children
Lives of war, crime, theft, murder, mayhem, feeding a created addiction
So glutted, numbed, violent, we no longer recognize gentleness, nurturing

A good life, one worth living, what does it take have, create one today
Is it dependent on our age, time of life, our social status, our upbringing
Is it nurture versus nature or somewhere in between, values we teach
Could we ever be happy without the thought of heavenly angels singing

Taught, brainwashed, to want, riches, beauty, fame, glory, immortality
To be like those paraded past us who already have more than their share
Some few join the ranks of this exclusive club, though most need not apply
Become stars in movies, television, music, sports, encouraging vain hope

Doctors and lawyers almost qualify, one rung below, two rungs above us
We are convinced to believe we lack something, no matter what we have
Bigger houses, faster cars, designer clothes and jewelry, the whole shebang
Indoctrinated from birth that we are worth it, no matter the coast or debt

Video games, violence, destruction, endless war, proud arrogance unchecked
Even those who don’t believe the lie learned it’s our destiny and right, might
We escape into stories, read, watched where evils fails and heroes triumph
Films, plays, books, games, drugs or religion, it doesn’t really matter much

We seek only to escape, discouraged by futility, our feelings of inadequacy
To live what brief moments we can, powerful, someone other than ourselves
No matter what genre or style, fiction or nonfiction, we hope it’s not fantasy
We cling to religion, take your pick, shop around, and we hope it’s not fantasy

For we and no one can know the future or can ever possibly touch or hold it
Only this moment exists, the eternal now, always and forever, gone in an instant
We let ourselves to be distracted by futures offered by those who fight change
Offering paradise, a vengeful god, frightening protection, bombs, guns and war

Rulers seen, unknown, have the insanity and power to end us all in fire, famine
We do our best, like mice, to creep quietly through the walls unnoticed, unseen
Understand we have the power to change the world if we come forth in numbers
Breaking trail,  a path to a better world, a good life where all will have enough