Once An Oasis Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Once an oasis flourishing to bloom,
In the midst of thorns.
When even the weeds were manicured and seen,
To exist amongst the oasis...
Since no one objected with this to permit.
And for decades a sharing of their differences went on.

And then the day came strangers stayed from visits.
They saw it easy to settle their greedy wishes.
With a soliciting to convince,
The pouring down of 'their' cement...
Would enhance the oasis with confirmed and concrete,
Benefits.
To provide opportunities believed intended to be meant.

The oasis died.
A loved and thriving diversity,
In this atmosphere of greed could not survive.
More cement was poured.
Anyone representing common sense was ignored.
And versions of the oasis would never again be restored.

More thieves descended to extend corruption.
Crimes baited created more positions for police,
With those visions of selected and accepted diversity...
Granted and allowed with permission to give,
To come to dump their trash on the weekends.
While those still remembering the oasis that was,
Are given jobs to pick up the trash.
And into plastic bags...
They put this trash after the streets they sweep.