POEM: THE TOMORROW DEBATE

THE TOMORROW DEBATE

 

Such a long, long (or

When viewed through the spectacles

Of human history, such a short)

         Time

 

The human spirit always hopes

         For better

Even as the brain says “nah,

Ain’t gonna happen. All the days

 

after today are going to be

More of this here now, perhaps

A little different at the edges

But the core always remains

Essentially Unchanged:

 

Hunger must be assuaged

Elimination after we eat

Shelter—especially from storms—

The tough search for the necessary

warmth of companion hearth

heart. And, Of course, the

production of ever sprouting

offspring.

 

That’s it, that’s all

Everything else is an illusion

Of progress or development or

Whatever foolish term we’ve created

To dress up the reoccurring

Sameness that is tomorrow.”

 

         You forgot

Music, my friend, music.

 

“no, I didn’t. music is the now

there is no music tomorrow

only now, music is always

         now

 

every generation must create

         it’s own music

or suffer the horror

of human silence.”

 

—kalamu ya salaam