Once upon a time
When the world was flat
When bread was a novelty
When the skies were pure, unpolluted
When the travesties of justice
Weighed heavily on the guilty.
When love was not fraught with superficiality.
When the doers of good were not taken for granted.
When the tectonic shifts of the planets Were not cause for Global Warming concerns.
When labyrinthical mazes
Were safe to explore.
When kindness received was kindness given.
When intentions held no ulterior motives
When the throes of passion were laden with genuine connectivity.
When peace was a grand aspiration.

Once upon a time
When genuine connections were sought With no expectation of favours.
When news channels were not a source of consternation and bad energy.
When revolutionaries fought
Without expectation of stroking of egos.
When Mother Theresa carried the baton for goodness.

Once upon a time…

Where did we go wrong, dear world?
When did we become vessels of Destruction, disruptions, chaos?
When did we lose genuine Interconnectedness with our fellow beings?
At which point did we diverge from the race towards the finish line of milk and honey?
We sure have a lot to answer for.

But of course we are not all bad, are we?
We continue to dig for goodness in the midst of all the chaotic constructs.
We continue to seek justice, albeit fraught with corrupted foundations.
We continue to seek love, though with more caution.

When did we think it was justified to Cause humanity immeasurable,
Irreparable harm?
At which point did we give ourselves Permission to be brutal?
When did we start thinking it was okay To step on those down on their luck & hanging onto their last vestiges of hope?

Once upon a time…

What is done cannot be undone
What was can only be viewed in hindsight.
In the now, we continue to be hopeful
Grateful, optimistic.
In the now, we shall strive to live
Harmoniously
In accord
With cognisance for better outcomes
In our round, good ol’ earth.

© 2017. Sakhile Mogale
Title : Once upon a time