Sunday, February 23, 2014

684 : The Life Saver

Munus Island #lightthedark
Sunday Whirl (Wordle #149) presents a list of words
that we must incorporate in a writing piece.  

The words this week are:

eggs, trust, test, not, high, course, peep,
mug, trial, form, bring, blown, stick


The Life Saver

I
Popular wisdom says that you shouldn’t
Put all your eggs in one basket.
But what if you only have one basket?

II
It is an act of blind trust
To board an old fishing boat
And set course for a foreign land.
But the decision is not hard
When the horror being left behind
Is greater than the unknown
That lies ahead.
Do you stick it out?
Watch your life and loved ones
Be blown apart?
It is really a case of all or nothing.
Save what eggs you can.

III.
As we sit in our 
Comfortable homes
With our mugs of organic tea
Watching the TV shows that let us 
Peep into the fake lives
And contrived high drama
Of fictional people
It is worth remembering 
The real trials of real people
The horrible form these trials take
And the desperation

That has driven them
To leave the land of their fathers
In search of safety.

IV
It is a test of our humanity
That we are willing to provide
That safety.
 .
---
© J Cosmo Newbery 2014
---

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27 comments:

  1. I see "the real trials of real people" almost daily where I live. Sad scenes.

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  2. And sadly we have failed that test. Badly. I would very much like it if we could re-sit the exam with better results.

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    Replies
    1. Perhaps the Governor General, as a parting gift to the Australian people, could sack the man.

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  3. Real reminder. Nice contrast.

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  4. Depressing state of affairs with no satisfactory solution. You have to look deeper at the reasons for society's lack of compassion and overbearing self interest and self centredness The majority of ustralians support the gov policy on refugees.The lack of religious foundation and the secular nature of extreme liberalism or cultural marxism is largely responsible.

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    Replies
    1. I understand where you are coming from but I suspect it is more a case of application than foundation. There will be many church people at the vigil tonight. They care. They apply their faith. Our beloved leader professes but doesn't apply a religious foundation. It is a complex mix.

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    2. And I am not sure that the majority of Australian's support the government policy on refugees either. There wasn't a great deal of choice on the issue - and the election wasn't a single issue election.

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    3. Father Bob Macguire and Rev TimCostello both spoke at the vigil. About 5000 people in Federation Square in Melbourne. I will keep the candle beside my computer until Manus Island is closed.

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  5. I can't believe that we both went at this from the same angle but yours was serious and mine was flippant. There must be many in Australia that feel ashamed of their government now. Well it is lucky there are only 3 year terms, but that will surely be long enough as we will all feel the pain as well.

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    Replies
    1. Depends whether the general population is herded, fearful, into his paddock or not.

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  6. Can't even imagine how bad it must be that taking a fishing boat while your loved ones stay behind is the better option.

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  7. It does make you wonder..how easy it is to toss out words of wisdom when it isn't a practical issue or matter of survival...

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    Replies
    1. Follow your heart. You know what is right.

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  8. I'm so glad that you sympathize with immigrants. In this recent wave of resentment towards them, yours is a reassuring poem. I like your analogy of having only one basket to put all eggs in. It works very well.

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  9. You have taken the metaphor of basket of eggs and come a long and meaningful way with it - a hymn to compassion is how I read it... With Best Wishes Scott www.scotthastie.com

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  10. indeed. give us your tired seems to have morphed into give us your tiaras... ~

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  11. I think this is my all time favourite of your posts, kiddo. I love the humanity of it, the remembering of those in desperate situations, midst our comfortable lives.....your intro and closing stanzas are perfection.

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  12. This is another fine piece of work. I really love the so-called reality shows that are anything but.

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  13. We are very much in the same wavelength at this time!

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  14. Yes, it must be horrible to strike out, in a flimsy old boat and hope for the best....so many are desperate and have no other way. The miracle is that some actually make it regardless the hardships.

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  15. Humanity is put to test...how I wish mankind truly wins to make this world liveable...

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  16. It doesn't really make me proud to be an Australian.

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  17. "With our mugs of organic tea
    Watching the TV shows that let us
    Peep into the fake lives"

    A good critique of modern soceity, have to agree on your point of view!

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