The Shine Journal

Natural Enemy

How could it be that we have strayed too far
from what we call the natural order?
Can you stray too far from premature death
or love too well that ventilating breath 
 
that science and technology provide?
Just think how many times you might have died
had natural been the order of the day.
We have knowledge to preserve or destroy.
 
The only thing we really have to fear
is fear itself; the mother of all gods.
Fear the inventor of all difference.
Fear the instigator of ignorance,
 
hatred, greed.  Fear rather, religious zeal.
That is the ill we should work most to heal.
No matter which god sits upon the throne,
man will kill man in any body’s name
except his own.

The Coldest Heart

I watched the flurries 
turn into a blizzard
 
wondered how the frog and lizard
could survive.  Me in my furry
 
slippers safe inside engineered
comfort.  I watched the miraculous
 
change of water into
crystal patterns fabulous
 
intricate and each unique so
I am told.  Cold, cold
 
nature harsh and beautiful
a heart so old
 
frozen and thawed
frozen and thawed
 
leathery with indifference.

Motivation: Natural Order stemmed from its title. It is a fairly classical response to a classical prompt. Nature of course has the Coldest Heart of all and winter can be a cruel time for other creatures.  We on the other hand are warm at home.

Bio: Oonah writes poetry and short fiction and is editor at http://www.everydaypoets.com

Image by: Tobias Koerbel