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The Elder

The little one came and asked the elder
How did things come to be?
The elder answered in abstract
A truth for all to see

It didn't happen all at once, but over many years
It happened with joy, laughter, and many silent tears
Like death from a thousand cuts, we just didn't want it to be real
Now all we have left, is just a bad deal

Its not that we didn't know, about the moments of despair
Its not that we didn't care, about the sordid affair
We just saw problems bigger than the sky and thought, who would dare?
And thus became a world that wasn't fair

We thought if its not us, maybe its not so bad
We can just enjoy our entertainment, and be plenty glad
And that's how it began, at least our part anyway
Even after so much has happened, we still have so little to say


The little one sat and asked the elder
Why did we do these things?
The elder answered in abstract
A sample of our selfish dreams

We did it because it felt good
Better than being good to ourselves
Better than loving thy neighbor
Better than the highest health

We called lies little, when they are quite big
Marking the beginning of our disgrace
We treated our future like it was a blooper
Without ever willing to embrace

We covered up truth with makeup and masks
Now we are the ones defaced
Our religion became follows and likes 
And so we lost our faith


The little one stood and asked the elder
What can we do now?
The elder answered in abstract
With a head heavily bowed

The one thing that is our purpose
We no longer do
Because we look up atop our ivory towers
And only see a zoo

We believe that one can affect change
As long as its not us
So the answer to your question
Is to once again practice love

Have the conversations that create community
Not just for our favorite friends
Overcome our bias and impunity
And false prophets will come to end


The little one turned and asked the elder
Will you tell them I left?
The Elder answered in abstract
As a smile touched his breath

I will tell the story of the one
Who decided to be changed
And became the foundation
For this story to be reframed

When they come and ask
Where did the future go?
I will tell them the past only hopes 
For the future to grow

That if we seek the future
We must put in the work
That we can move forward
Only when we acknowledge the hurt

Copyright © Tahj Jones | Year Posted 2025

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