Shadows Act Out Bit Parts As Wit Departs After John Donne Meditation Xvii Nunc Lento Sonitu Poem by Jonathan ROBIN

Mundane disdain, un-self-sustaining stain upon humanity,
most opt out, flout choice voice, rejoice only to gain self-vanity
pass over nature, poles apart from fresh start seem profanity,
whose dreams drown, frown within unthinking kitchen sink inanity.

Abstaining, goal-less souls wholly halfhearted seem calamity
who up and down, in country, town, are found bound to their amity.
To day-to-day few homage pay, or stay to see life's mystery
unfold to score joys hid before, eyesores doors shut, gut history.

Bright moments pass, no looking-glass reflecting with lucidity
upon life's chance ebb, flow advance. Mental mindset aridity
dries up imagination's cup, as individuality
stillborn's forsworn, or torn forlorn, from focus, creativity.

Cloud cuckoo land where bland hands band against all authenticity,
there, playing ball before thrall's shawls eliminates simplicity
few bide time, stand, serve, fail to free inner potentiality:
past history suspicions casts on any assiduity.

Though over half a century has sped since Orwell penned to see
what hidden time-traps lay ahead, if writ today the same would be
as relevant or more. Where fed still silent mass majority
clings to and through employment bread with slight sustainability.

Every man an island is unto himself, or so should be,
yet many abdicate their fate, cede self-respect and liberty.
Each to each together chained, suspecting self-sufficiency;
by timeworn rules, conventions, caged: dumb shadows in Democracy.

When compromising breezes blend, most bend, to please society,
trends ill to curse where currents tend that set sad score for sanity.
Should stout voice shout out from closed shop, dare doubt respectability,
most flout it lest it compromise their own invincibility.

Ignoring soul-song's anguished sighs most sacrifice ability,
conform, fear cut ties, hope dies, drear lip-service serves stability.
Impeached, tried, sentenced, while rich thrive and undermine equality,
most stifle stranger's signal sighs: there's none so blind as will not see!

In restive rows, mechanic chain, men chafe forever to be free,
it rankles, goes against the grain, God's global productivity.
Tired, tied to task, most wills expend as ciphers in some factory,
or jobless, friendless, on social skills depend meal wheels of industry.

From dawn to dusk husk men mark time imprisoned intellectually,
as tiny cogs flywheels attend, a terrifying sight to see.
Pensions devalued, most descend to penniless impotency,
health in tatters, wealth at end, as social superfluity.

Where Government sets our stipend to suit its sensitivity.
Why do annuities ascend? electoral necessity.
Should one question this and that? Ideals are incongruity
to uncommitted bureaucrat who kills with calm complacency.

Though Internet for change once whet our appetites, authority
lies heavier than lead inset upon the space we'd trace as free.
Mass media most minds has fed with blatant mediocrity,
environment and climate bled by sub-committee potpourri.

The generations now instead of freedom find R.F.I.D.
reduces categories read, teach each reach barred identity.
Respecting pensions, these are spread so thinly through life's lottery,
the turf is bogged, no thoroughbred speed with legitimacy.

Too far from serendipity, false notes mistake life's melody,
key out of tune sad symphony, portrait: mind deformity.
The moral note this essay floats seems underscored by irony,
core freedoms prove illusory, sheets wind unkind mortality.

Swift's spent sad sojourn, scared to speak, men blacklist thoughts incessantly,
act out bit parts as wit departs, while inner phoenix spark most flee
for three score years and ten, then see chance pitch and toss cross out 'to be',
no breathing space to trace brand name: humdrum race run humanity.

Articulating paradox of 'existentiality'
no magic paradise unlocks, since in all probability
reflective mirror breeds contempt, unease or even enmity
from those who chose crow's-nest to shun, close doors upon transparency.

Here ends unwinding thread, screed sped, on online winding sheet scroll be,
repeating those asleep, abed, must move to more maturity
maintaining inner dignity, ne'er principles surrender, key
integrity and liberties restore, defend diversity.