House of Cards, Hot Air and Tea Leaves

PAST

In the past
events took place
sometimes fast
but oft and on
at a slower pace.
Men reached the moon
and walked into space.

Wars thought
to be necessary
to bring peace
were fought;
a fallacy
that doesn't cease.

At various stages
over the ages,
many empires
were built
but all collapsed
like a house of cards.

Poor people
worked hard
to improve
their lot
yet never made
the grade

while others
prospered
and made a fortune
with cotton plantations
and profiting
from the slave trade.

The industrial revolution
seemed the solution
to achieve wealth,
while scientists spent
long hours in their labs
to improve our health.

PRESENT

The lessons learned
over the years
should have been
the trigger
to close the gap
between rich and poor.

The gulf between classes
is now even bigger.
“Plus ça change 
plus c'est la même chose “
is an apposite phrase
that everyone knows.

We keep being told
that global warming
will destroy the world.
Everyone seems to care
but messages are blurred,
all we hear is a lot of hot air.

FUTURE

As regards the future,
we must take a peek
at the leaves in a cup
or into a crystal ball
to find that it's definitely
going to be bleak.

© Luigi Pagano 2024