Cataclysmic

By Andrew R. Duckworth

I’m reminded of a story,
Old, but relevant,
Of a people so bent,
So obsessed with their own
Achievements, that they sought
To build a tower, a bridge,
To the heavens. In their hearts,
They declared themselves like gods,
Seeking seats of power
That were never theirs.
Eventually, cataclysm came to them,
And the knowledge they accumulated
Was wiped clean. No longer could
They be proud of their achievements
As such things had brought about
Their own destruction.
Today, we consider such stories
Silly while we build our towers
Of knowledge, saying in our hearts
That we are like gods as we attempt
To bring about new life, created
From our hands, life run by machines
That we also made, running on
Precious resources that we found
While walking the tight rope
Of cataclysm. But it’s only
A silly story.