Anywhere But Here

Serpents slither here. Scorpions hide beneath our bed spreads. Spiders, bugs, sticks, ants, and centipedes occupy our beds. We have coasts. But what use of these? They burn with sultry heat. Pirates sail to our harbours with their armour-filled fleet. Predators of all kinds have filled our once lovely islands. Where, once, flora and fauna flourished, wattles and burrs shake hands. Our architectural castles seem to crack and collapse. Dilapidated sanctums of temples reveal time's lapse. Archaeologists try to explore our mausoleums. They find noxious inland Taipans in murky museums. Dogs bite their masters; cats, like tigers, cull their lords with claws. Cows, bulls, and goats butt, stamp, and pin their herders for no cause. Arrogance and aggression emblazoned by humankind Their hearts and minds by evil thoughts, words, and deeds are maligned. This place too is made by God, I know, like other places. But, to cut the heads of others, here, each one runs races.