When tragedy and evil strike that have been caused by humans, we realize we're still capable of some really bad stuff. And we're not nearly as good as we think we are; the evil is just hidden under superficial goodness.

Winding Down

There is no sense in denying
that the path of humanity
doesn't rise in glory,
climbing up into the clouds of heaven.

It winds like a clock,
giving the appearance of advances
only to consume its own hands 
like the ancient serpent devouring its tail.

And after we've become enchanted
by assuming the gears and wheels of the clock 
are beyond the need of routine maintenance,
somehow we are shocked by the silence 

when the feet of humanity 
quit marching forward,
when the hands of time halt,
and we horrifyingly discover

we have revolved right back 
to the beginning of time,
dealing with the same destructive tendencies
we were sure we'd left behind.

Justin Farley


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