Oh, for a bit of warmth of voice,
without the fog of anger,
and added there a smile, a touch,
in just a small room of calm.

The world without is falling down,
while doom wraps all their minds,
the Crier tolls his bell and calls
for everyone to fear and weep.

It wasn't always thus, I know,
as I remember better times,
when people smiled and moved about
less hurried, less harried, than today.

Where are the picnics on the banks?
The welcome of the book sellers?
The chamber music at theatre?
Liesurely walks along?

Sure and they must still be around,
They can't have all ceased to be.
Perhaps I may have missed them
with my eyes so clouded by the times.

I'm fearing that they, and other things,
that I once enjoyed and loved,
have taken themselves away from here,
as no longer cared for or wanted.

In truth, the villagers made it known
they no longer cared at all,
for things of old and beautious
in haste and anger pushed aside.

Has most the world gone mad these days?
Does anyone have a smile?
No time, it seems, for anything else
'cept fear and anger and self.

In our youth we did not see this;
the way things are today.
But so it is, and we are here,
we know not where to turn.

Our thoughts not ours,
our minds are pulled,
and others would have us hear them shout,
but beyond it all is chaos.

I remember how it was,
and I smile with those old thoughts.
This is not the way to be,
but this is not illusion.

In normal times this would not be,
but what is normal now?
Again the answer comes to us -
anger, hurt and fear.

Three score years and ten I have,
perhaps I'll never know
the things I used to live within,
the way it used to be.

Time drags slowly now, my friend,
with harsher days ahead.
The world is spinning madly,
with minds so easily swayed.

This faction is right, and that one wrong,
oh, listen to us, please,
and pause if you will for prayer,
if you believe that it will help.

Mankind has become preposterous,
sides taken and held fast,
while no one works unitedly,
and fears the Other Than.

Fools have cast aside their minds,
opinions run amok without intellect,
and flames adorn the fallen world
while sanity waits off stage.

There is no understanding of this,
no explanation of merit or value,
and I am want to fall away
and cast my lot to the valley's path.

This is no life as meant to be.
Mankind has lost the way.
Would that I could walk away,
to a place of quiet.

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