If Not Now...When? (Original Poetry)

in #poetry4 years ago (edited)

Sometimes, it feels
like this is the end
of the world, I know.

Violence, Covid-19,
a venomous
political shit show.

But you mustn’t
get lost in the static
aloneness of now,

Or get distracted
completely by the
whens, whys, and hows.

Peel back the storied layers,
don't let the voiceless
hear our silence.

Their system, it’s glitching,
this could be our one chance
to stand in defiance.

Let this corrupt world wither
and a new one begin.
If not now...when?

Eric Vance Walton

(Gif Sourced From Giphy.com)


alt text

*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.

Alarm Clock Dawn, one of the first full length novels published on the blockchain, and the book that started it all for me can be found HERE. Or Click Here to read it for free on the Steemit blockchain

My book on meditation, The Perfect Pause, is priced at $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook). Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!

Let’s Keep In Touch

www.ericvancewalton.net

Sort:  

Very nice one... It's actually very easy to loose sight and get distracted during this period

Thank you! Especially in the vacuum we're all living in now. My wife and I both are so tired of talking about the virus but people aren't really making any new memories right now so it's all they have to talk about.

This is particularly true... Atimes I feel stuck and really frustrated, I just have to talk myself out of it and remind myself to move-on

It’s hard. I’m trying to focus on self-care and getting my new book ready.

Kudos to you! And success to your new book

Thank you! 🙏🏼

The whole thing is actually very tiring. I hope we really do not let the world hear our silence. Weldone.

Thanks! It definitely is tiring. It'll drains all of your energy if you let it.

Life is a book that has no meaning if it has no erasures! Life, as painful as it is, we must live it, bet on it. Sometimes sadness or all the crises accumulate and hit us in the very center of life and we falter, we stagger, like the boxer who gets hit in the face. But still, the idea is not to fall, and if we do fall, to get up, every day, under all circumstances, to fight. Here in Venezuela we fight every day, because he who gets tired, loses. Nice day, my friend!

That is all so true, Nancy. We live in a time of escalating chaos but there are also great opportunities. All of these recent crisis are exposing the many weaknesses in our world. I only hope we learn from this, shift away from greed, and start to build a world where everyone can thrive, not just the elite. Enjoy your week!

Hi Eric, how are u doing? What a beautiful poem. It tells about this mortal life. Life is very complicated indeed. Maybe only patience can make us survive .. Have a nice day, Eric.

All is good, Eliana. Thank you! I hope you're well.

Let the world hear this. We are tired of this type of world. Let it either and a new one spring up

Exelente poesia , me agrado, sabemos que el dia a dia, va transcurriendo, pero creo que en un futuro muy sercano, termine esta corrupcion, te dejo mi voto y te sigo.

¡Gracias! Agradezco el apoyo. Yo también comparto su perspectiva para el futuro. Creo que nos espera una década muy tumultuosa antes de ver que las cosas mejoran.

The future is now., This is the time the world need to hear that silence

@ericvancewalton, Tiny world of words but i have to say that you've put the whole World Of Message in these words.

Good wishes from my side and stay blessed always.

Thank you my friend! I wish the same to you. I hope all is well on your side of the world!

Welcome and this side i am feeling pleasant essence and i am in my Self Introspective State.

Enjoy your time ahead and stay blessed always.

Very nice! I love the stretch in the rhyme from now to hows. Sorry, I majored in English lit for a year or two in college so I focus on that kind of stuff in addition to the actual words... This message is so timely. It feels like the world is just spinning out of control sometimes and I think a lot of people would be happy if we could just hit that reset button. I always think back to Star Trek: First Contact where Picard is telling the lady that when we realized we weren't alone in the universe it opened a new era of exploration and the focus on wealth was abandoned. Of course they had to go through a pretty significant world war to get there, but I just wish we could be at that point. I would much rather pursue knowledge vs. wealth if the world allowed it. Sorry, this got long winded.

Thanks @bozz! I kind of threw this one together quickly, I probably should have spent more time on the rhyming. Star Trek has held up brilliantly through the decades. People are going to have to decide what their rock bottom is. The looming financial collapse might just be it. This pandemic has definitely taught me that most people don’t realize the true reality of a situation unless they experience it directly. Hope you’re well and have gotten some relief from the heat.

Yes actually! My wife and I were finally enjoying a nice evening on the deck yesterday. Until our dog rolled in something, then we had to bathe her! We ended up having a very late dinner because we were having such a nice time enjoying the cooler weather.

I'm glad to hear it's cooling down! Ugh, our beagle does that too. We had a few days' respite from the heat but we're right back into the frying pan now.

I think we all have a personal role to play when it comes to making the world a better place, the problem is many of us are gripped by the group mentality, thinking authentically and individually is frowned upon in the current modern society.

Through thinking each one for themselves, means we can at least realize our unique potentials and via a combination of each and every one of us, come up with solutions to improve, but unfortunately individuality is scary to many, rather conformism is more appealing.

Good point, decision-making skills tend to diminish significantly in groupthink scenarios. That would explain a lot about the state of our world today.

Yes. I have taken my attention from the noise and put it towards skill building. It is satisfying and reminds me of the wells of freedom within me.

Excellent! That is such a smart pivot during times like this. ...reminds me of the wells of freedom within me.” That is such a great way to describe it!

Congrats for creating uplifting art!
Keep up the great work!
How's the lockdown going?

Thank you! Most everything is opened up now but our Governor is set to announce a mask mandate today when out in public. I expect there to be another full lockdown if the numbers keep rising. How is it where you are?

Here in Romania we have some interesting measures for stores: mandatory masks and social distancing.
For some stores we also have temperature screening.
People who rule us imposed these measures because of a virus.
i have a curiosity:

  • What's the proof for the virus?

We have the same measures here. Do you know anyone who's gotten the virus? My niece just tested positive. So far she's saying it feels like the flu, she's experiencing no serious symptoms.

One repeated question as i received no answer:

What's the proof for the virus?

Antibodies in the bloodstream would be one.

Somewhere I read it is "our right and our duty" to take action against ...
Just saying....
Unfortunately most people don't read the important stuff.
Now is as good as time as any in my book in answer to your question.
Great work friend!
Sult

You're so right, a lot of folks are too embroiled in what's going on with celebrities and professional sports to be bothered by the important stuff. Thanks for the support, as always!

if not now when?

I can't wait for all this to stop. The corruption,the violence, the hate.

I just hope everything can come to an end and a new start can begin

I know, and people can't seem to help but get enraptured in it/paralyzed by it. We can't rely on the very same people who put our world in its current state to be the ones to save us.

Promoting Hive on Twitter: