Sunday Whirl (Wordle #233) presents a list of words
that we must incorporate in a writing piece.
The words this week are:
mouth, spill, possible, keep, change, head
skeletons, step, wire, gift, moon, present
The Machine
[Narrator]
In the regular cycles of his life,
Punctuated by the moon and sun,
Man persists through joy and strife
As previous generations all have done.
[Man]
It seems to me that joys are rare,
While strife is in excess!
[Narrator]
But man has few excuses there,
A victim of his own success.
[Businessmen]
We must make profits while we can
And each year must increase as well.
[Priests]
We offer heavenly rewards to the exhausted man
You keep him calm not rebel!
[Narrator]
Man’s afraid to step out of line,
He walks a high wire act.
He needs to work and can’t resign—
[Man]
It’s a most distressing fact.
[Narrator]
Pulpits and print houses spread the lie
That no possible change can begin,
They want that man will work and die—
[Politicians]
We legislate to lock him in!
We love to mouth warm platitudes
That feel they may be true.
[Priests]
We love to recite beatitudes
To help avoid a coup.
[Man]
And all the while we are made to run
On the treadmill of desire,
Told that we are having fun
If we are constantly a buyer.
[Narrator]
So man toils thoughout his time
And ends, as skeletons beneath the earth.
[Businessmen]
While we have nice homes beyond the grime
Where accountants check our worth.
[Narrator]
Should the notion enter man’s head
To change his present fate,
Blood would be spilt, with many dead,
As the military obeys the state.
[Priests]
So we sell the lie of God’s sweet gift
To stop the crowds rebelling
[The Media]
We peddle fear to induce a rift
[Politicians]
That makes our lies compelling.
[Narrator]
So there, dear reader, is man’s sorry lot
Living another’s base agenda.
[Man]
I’m never happy with what I’ve got!
[Businessmen]
We can recommend a good lender!
.
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2016
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How I wish your Narrator was wrong.
ReplyDeleteCogs in a machine...like it or not i suppose most of us are..when exposed it all seems quite pointless but i wonder what would happen if we didn't work towards the superficial - would everyone reach nirvana or would it be social anarchy...might be good to try..create a new universe! A very effective technique expertly executed..
ReplyDeleteI was reading with a serious face until i came to the last scene
ReplyDelete"[Businessmen]
We can recommend a good lender!"
LOL
thanks for enlivening my morning
much love...
.
Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteVery wise words!
ReplyDeleteA fabulous poem play that is sadly true if we let it be....I agree with Sanaa...brilliant!
ReplyDeleteThis is very well done, J. They way you have retained your stanza form while changing speakers is clever. i really like the end result.
ReplyDeleteFrighteningly true...
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
This is like a chant.. the truth of man as prisoner... and there are always ways to lock us down.. very well penned.
ReplyDeleteThis is very clever, ironic, and disturbingly accurate. Some of us are beginning to recognize out lot - the politicians tremble, LOL.
ReplyDeleteA sad state of affairs, but extremely cleverly presented through the use of varied speakers. Brilliantly written!
ReplyDeleteCreative piece, like a Greek or Roman reenactment.
ReplyDeleteBravo. A lot of work and thought went into this.
Randy
This was very well crafted and clever with the use of different speakers all offering advise and the media certainly peddles fear...
ReplyDeleteA new Everyman here in an expressionistic almost Brechtian sequence. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteA little masterpiece! I love the wry humour of the ending.
ReplyDeletethis was innovative and profound. I'm impressed with your structure and the interchanging of speakers throughout.
ReplyDeleteI can see the puppeteer walking/playing with all these characters...fun play!
ReplyDeleteamazing one.
ReplyDelete