Keith D Trestrail Poet Sonnet

Notes About The Poem

A Cautionary Tale

Great is the battle, small the victory
  when all that is won is lost to mankind -
in this war of worlds its great casualty 
  is the fallen consciousness in our mind.
From spear tip and arrowhead to smart bomb
  or Ptolemy to Hubble looking glass,
Luxor hieroglyphs to CD Rom -
  from the Bronze to Silicon Age we pass.
Primeval footprint, genetic blueprint,
  sandstone castles under canyons of steel -
gone are the Caesars and Pharaohs extinct
  and there’s a cautionary tale so real.
Civilisations that with hubris act
fall a ruin, a remnant, an artifact.


          Written: August 2004

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Gershon Wolf July 18, 2024 at 7:24 PM So true. Western Civilization is the 'Living Dead.' You have written it so well here. And in hundreds of pages less than Arnold Toynbee, to boot! Bravo! ~ Gershon Keith D Trestrail July 20, 2024 at 4:31 AM It has all been prophesied. The end days are near.

Laura Leiser July 16, 2024 at 9:27 PM Finely worded historical look at the fall of civilization, Keith. It is hard to see the downfall of a great country..God help us! Great poetry! Keith D Trestrail July 17, 2024 at 4:01 AM It ain’t over yet, Laura. Keep the faith. Hugs.

Arlo Parker July 16, 2024 at 6:49 PM The literature documenting where we've been and where we're headed is unassailably clear. Read it and weep or hold fast and watch Eden renew. Nothing new under the Sun. :o// Keith D Trestrail July 17, 2024 at 3:59 AM Yep, there’s only one kingdom that matters. Cheers.

Hilda Greenhough July 15, 2024 at 9:58 AM It is cautionary times. Humans are on top of the evolutionary scale and don't know what to do. I fear we will be toppled by AI. I thank you for bravely bringing up this subject. Keith D Trestrail July 15, 2024 at 10:57 PM It is a worry when you look at western civilisation now. We are in rapid decline. Thanks Hilda.

Frederic Parker July 15, 2024 at 9:58 AM Civilizations come and go like a passing cloud, the only thing constant is our love for killing and it's what we'll do until we are no more like the rest of the creatures that have gone extinct...it's nothing to get excited about, besides the only reason we are here is to supply the plants with carbon dioxide Keith D Trestrail July 15, 2024 at 11:00 PM Yep, I agree. The clock is ticking. Nice to see ya, Frederic.