Shadow Of The Red Rock Poem by Barry Middleton

come with me into the evening
come with me to the shadowy places
to the deepest reaches of the cave

we have left the garden behind us
we go on a different journey now
to behold in the thirteenth vision
the foggy sun rising on a foggy day

we see the men who come and go
businessman, politico, and priest
the corporate farmer, and the thief
the butcher robots, doctors, fools
the consumers of mythology and war

what hath god wrought
the golden rule sold out for gold
reptilian predators roam at will
divine avatars from planet mars
revile a profitless truce

is this our shameful destiny
the dust of fear under the red rock
no new religion beckons in the dawn
while we ignore the obvious lessons

there is a mark upon the soul of man
can it be overcome
we have had four millions years
four million years to change our ways
but man conducts his ruthless business
like a frightened ape

and in the end the women weep
and feed the infants at their breast
and children dream of better things
before the loss of innocence

it has happened once before
it may come again as the hand of god
or the soul of the universe
or the beast mankind that consumes
the insatiable apex beast of the earth
the fire may come again
as frightened eyes look up to see oblivion

this is my grief beyond prayer
the garden is defiled
the fire storm is coming
the plans are laid upon the table
I see myself in a shard of looking glass
I see the planet earth
not only must I die
but all of humankind and too our world
fear death by fire and water
risen seas cannot quench the flames

~~~~~
Eliot's fear in a handful of dust may be us.