Vision Of Endymion

Vision Of Endymion
© Surazeus
2018 06 26

The teeming chaos of our modern world,
where people operating fast machines
race each other to find paradise, where
Endymion once lounged on river shore, lost
beneath enormous towers of steel and glass,
spirals ever faster with each new year
we build more powerful engines of greed
that aid our attempts to control the Earth
and exploit its resources for blooming wealth.

Yet as I stand still at the city core,
and gaze through bright eyes of Endymion,
observing constant motion of machine
operated by driving hunger of man,
I see resolve, from cycles that repeat
interaction of physical contact,
processes of cause and effect define
elaborate patterns of chemical change
that weave from fierce contention of desire
fabric of our global society
where every person plays emotive part.

We humans evolved from the sloshing sea,
bodies transforming across generations
from single cell to conscious tetrapod
who developed ability to speak
by swinging limb to limb in sprawling trees
to coordinate action of our hands
with quick assessment of observing eyes
to analyze true nature of our world
so we can grasp hard objects we perceive
and mold shapes of material, wood and stone,
to aid our interactions with the world.

Through quick manipulation with our hands
to change shape of matter and build machines,
we transform dirt of the sphere where we dwell
by metamorphing minerals of thick soil
to construct engines that move vehicles
on spinning wheels quickly across the globe,
and computers that process blinking sparks
that signify letters of sounds we speak
which paint visions of the world in our eyes,
and thus mutate the natural world of woods
and blooming flowers along sparkling streams
into controlled biodomes where we tend
food-producing plants in organized gardens,
converting Earth to global paradise.

From paradise garden enclosed by walls
of stone, where we developed police state
from compact well-organized companies,
lead by the tribal leader as our God,
where each person performs their special role
based on skills they gain from apprenticeships,
which we maintained in hostile wilderness
thousands of years in struggle to survive,
perfecting process of cooperation
in efficient communes of food production,
we expand to assimilate all cultures
in vast global economy of markets
that requires each person, healthy and strong,
to contribute to our national wealth
by constant action of strong peak performance,
thus we evolve or die in game of life.

On Grecian Urn the pastoral poet Keats
observed tableau of farming life preserved
to replicate communal farms we forged
to plan efficient production of food
in hostile wilderness of aching hunger,
well managed by the wisest clever patron,
personified by God as national leader,
who organizes every tribal member
to do their part so all my live and thrive,
this agrarian way of life we designed
that served us well these past ten thousand years
when we transformed from hunting gatherers
through farmers tilling soil and tending crops,
to craftsmen designing sturdy machines,
now replaced by workers in factories
where people perform repetitious tasks,
then watch dramatic movies to relax.

Should we go back to hanging out in trees,
to dancing in the surge of ocean tides,
to following herds of cows across plains,
to tending crops around high pyramids,
to crafting goods inside castles of stone,
to assembling goods in large factories,
or combine them all in efficient style
of living that balances work and play
which should produce enough nutritious food
for every living soul on Earth to eat
as we drive together on crowded roads,
racing each other through the maze of wealth?

Where are you now, gentle Endymion,
who gazed into the starry sky at night,
observing progress of the shining moon
through sparkling labyrinth of hungry hope,
and danced with sweet Selene on the shore
of that star-shimmering lake where apple trees
blossomed bright in the evening mountain breeze,
and sang the beauty of our teeming world
of verdant paradise florid with herbs,
whose soul I see in face of every person
who hurries about business of their life
like honey bees around wilderness flowers?

Though you vanished from our world long ago,
gentle shepherd and vast meadows of trees
that once flourished around our spinning globe,
your heart that loves the natural world of plants,
blossoming rich in swirls of sun and rain,
still beats wild in the breast of every person
who struggles to keep up in swift rat race
of our global civilization, yet longs
to stop from constant strife for greater wealth
and lounge in fruit groves on lush river shores
to feel the timeless beauty of the world
in burbling song of water over stones
and chirp of birds flitting among tall trees,
and thus to breathe the spirit of the Earth.

From teeming chaos of destructive wars,
when tribal leaders battle to control land
and people who work together to live,
our new world order of united nations
assembles clashing cultures in one system
that offers equal opportunity
of training and productive work for all
through objective justice for every person
based on standard of universal rights
where every person can pursue their dream
to live well as they will while harming none
so we work together in global commune,
giving and receiving with open hearts.

This ideal society of world peace
shines bright from the raised lamp of Liberty
to guide our interactions every day
as we cooperate to transform Earth
into paradise that nurtures all souls,
lead by example of Endymion
who dances balanced with the shining moon,
Mother Selene who nurtures their child
while singing hymns in the garden of fruit
where we all may live in harmonious love.

Return to us from heaven of our hopes,
wise Endymion, shepherd of paradise,
and teach us how to live in peace on Earth,
transforming our world to garden of trees
where we work and play with love in our hearts
to savor sweet beauty of being alive
and celebrate process of birth and death.