Let's Face Up To It
It seems that many see themselves as pretty good underneath,
When in fact -- injury to others -- they via their lives bequeath.
Thus, were honest appraisals made of all the things we do and say,
The truth of our condition might show less growth and more decay.
As the years have drifted on by, there has been a sad decline,
Hence, values that once were cherished, now lie prostrate before self’s shrine.
Yes, so subtle in progression has this loss of values been,
That most haven’t even noticed their departure from the scene.
It’s not until there are problems from not doing what is right,
That many then see the reason for the sadness of their plight.
The same goes for society and the problems that ensue
When citizens -- good principles and values -- foolishly undo.
We're seeing this in the language that so many use today,
For words that were once forbidden now in public you can say.
And along with such profanity we see crudity as well,
Tearing down morality, inflicting on us all its ill.
And within the family home, further evidence is seen,
For a corruptive smorgasbord fills a constantly watched screen.
Yes, endorsed by all and sundry, TV's content is excused,
Midst principles and values being continually abused.
Many against adultery sit and watch with interest keen
As married actors fornicate with other actors on the screen.
It seems that because it’s acted, that some think that makes it right,
But that is just hypocrisy that is treating black as white.
Now the evil world of witchcraft supposedly enlightens,
And it appears that the occult no longer any frightens.
Thus, the clearly spiritualistic delights and praise brings,
Whilst Harry Potter vies with the vaunted Lord of the Rings.
Sexual activity too, boundaries has overthrown,
And pornographic material along with this has grown.
And surprise, surprise, crime has increased, as once again is seen
The rejection of more values — safeguards, that most folk demean.
And music has suffered too, for the once beautiful and sweet
Has now sadly been exchanged for just a strong hypnotic beat.
And a gyrating sexuality and lyrics as obscene,
Are filling ears and vision too, showing that lust reigns supreme.
Thus, when evil's seen as fun, and when violence entertains,
When foul language rules the day, and when sex nobody restrains,
When crime is running rampant, and crudity just brings forth mirth,
When music has lost its beauty, then, corruption has given birth.
And when sound values are dismantled, and morals are discarded,
When others’ rights are just spurned, and self is much more regarded,
When error has replaced truth, and when what's wrong is called okay,
When what’s right has little weight, then, disaster is on its way.
So tell me, where do you stand, friend, and what part might you have played,
And will your future actions see more wrong or more right obeyed?
You see, the biggest challenge we face isn't this world we’re in,
But rather, that wrong within ourselves, requiring discipline.
By Lance Landall
Chilly Chimes
(This is my light-hearted poem “A Wintry Night" with the last two verses changed)
Flames lick at the glowing wood, sending warmth into the room,
Where curtains cover windows, shutting out the winter’s gloom.
Someone’s sitting in a chair that’s beside an open fire,
Sipping from a steaming mug in their winter night attire.
Icy winds rattle latches, and whistle ’round draughty doors,
Sending chilly tentacles into darkened corridors.
Hail raps on window panes, misty showers come and go,
And bouts of angry thunder shake the house where lights still glow.
Someone’s dozed off in their chair, snoring rather noisily,
Draped in a woolly blanket, lost in dreams of life at sea.
The fire’s slowly dying, soon the temperature will fall,
Stirring the old sleepyhead, who, into his bed will crawl.
Kitty’s curled up on the floor in a fury little ball,
Catching all the heat she can, for there’ll soon be none at all.
Her backs turned to the fire, where just dying embers glow,
And inside the house she’ll stay, until outside she must go.
An ancient grandfather clock stares out from its lofty view,
Standing guard inside the room, at the ready, to chime on cue.
The hands on the old clock’s face reveal that midnight is near,
And as soon as midnight comes, its loud chimes will fill the air.
Now, this gloomy winter’s night, and shortly, those midnight chimes,
Remind me that we’re living in very concerning times,
And, that many are snoozing like this old man in his chair,
Indifferent, or unaware, this earth’s end could well be near.
Just like this old man snoozing, soon many may awaken
To midnight chimes and chilly air that earth has overtaken.
Snoozing in their rocking chair, feeling safe from winter’s blast,
They could find their cozy life is a dream-run that won’t last.
By Lance Landall
Figuratively Verbalizing
I’ve a few things I hope you won’t mind me verbalizing,
And you may consider some of them hardly surprising.
Perhaps in your own mind they’ve also been crystallizing,
And with my thoughts will actually be harmonizing.
It’s very clear that there has been too much compromising,
And that there are some things we’ve been wrongly legalizing.
I must say too, I’m not impressed with some advertising
That certain things is irresponsibly glamorizing.
Yes, I’m concerned over many things we’ve been televising,
I’m concerned over many things we’ve been sanitizing,
I’m concerned over many things we’ve been authorizing,
And I’ve concerns over things we’ve been popularizing.
I’ve also concerns over things we’ve been satirizing,
And I’m concerned about folk we’ve been marginalizing.
I’m concerned about those people we’ve been stigmatizing,
Categorizing, ostracizing, dehumanizing.
We’ve been maximizing wrong, rather than minimizing,
And things one shouldn’t dream of, we’ve been rationalizing.
We’ve been polarizing, pressurizing, tyrannizing,
And penalizing, paralyzing, demoralizing.
It’s clear that wisdom’s something we’ve been anesthetizing,
And, sadly — folly and error — have been customizing.
Yes, we’ve been systemizing, institutionalizing,
Monopolizing jeopardizing, destabilizing.
And it’s clear that we have been foolishly idolizing
What society, (that’s us), is simply scandalizing.
You see, we’ve all been far too busy acclimatizing,
Unaware that this boat we’re in is slowly capsizing.
Have I been dramatizing? No, rather, summarizing.
By Lance Landall
