One day I saw that the hypothetical
mortality I had considered since
teenage years, was now a sure thing
and sooner rather than later…
A comparatively isolated childhood
had given me time to consider
many things that never occur to
some people until they do…
Is sex before marriage
a club to which members
recruit others to assure themselves
of their righteousness
Is there any point arguing
with people who believe in
irrational things like God
or the supremacy of the British
One day I saw that the struggles
of Feminism had largely failed
let alone broken the glass ceiling
and temporary wins are being rolled back…
One day I saw that World Wars
had not ended all wars
but only driven the game into
smaller battlefields fought by proxies
Even the MADness of Nuclear Deterrence
and the sanity of Non-Proliferation
were undermined by countries that possess
without confessing
And other countries elected demented
monsters to have their finger on the button
or to threaten to use the unthinkable
or assert that tactical nukes would not count…
One day I saw the world was sunburnt
because politicians count on being gone
before the bill for sun caused cancer
becomes due against their grandchildren
That the world ending less with a bang
more with a whimper due to overpopulation
was the least of Gaia’s problems
which no amount of Attenborough will fix
One day I saw that truth was no longer
binary and has, in any case, been smeared
until most people don’t know what to believe
and it seems pointless to care or have cared
One day I saw that another generation
would have to take up the fight
with new weapons like fact-checking
or digital abstinence, with
keenly honed humour targeted at
would be kings, and activism that
won’t lie down and be quiet
and disdain for status symbols
One day I saw that post-war boomer goals
were the exception and not the rule
and that the next world war
needs to be a war for the world
And then one day I saw that
I could relax a little, offer insight
when asked, without leading the charge
and just enjoy the day that’s in it…
© Andrew Wilson, 2026
Over at dVerse Poets Pub, Grace in OpenLinkNight, invites us to post a poem of our choice and this one was written for my local Keighley Library Poetry Group (the prompt was the title)and since I have now read it there, I feel like it deserves a bit more circulation…
I really appreciated the movement here and the key turn at the end!
Thanks, Rowan, I am sure that many people come to the same realisation as mortality beckons…
One more thing to say on a second read…
Dayum!
I’m stuck on the first stanza… 👏
Let me read the rest!
Great write Andrew 👏 Angry and grounded, with a gentle ending (a whimper?) I especially liked “it seems pointless to care or have cared” – sad though that reflection is.
Thanks, Shaun, “angry and grounded” I loike that – I have never been an activist, never been on a demonstration, but trying to understand and make clear the way things are, might be considered a contribution, if not activism. But the recognition of impending mortality does put some limit to at least the hope of what might still be achieved…
I will turn seventy in just over a week, Andrew, so your poem resonated with me, especially the opening stanza! Interesting questions, too. I see no point in arguing with people who believe in irrational things’ when struggles and wars get us nowhere. Your conclusion is one of the most sensible things I’ve read today.
Thank you so much, Kim, that one just flowed out, questions and all…
Ah! Letting go of the illusions of progress. Letting go of the unbearable heaviness of being.
But without giving up.
And yes : Enjoy the day.
Thanks, Josie, you got it…
Oh.my. damn it’s good…
with people who believe in
irrational things like God
or the supremacy of the British…
One day I saw the world was sunburnt…
Least of Gaia’s problems…. Digital abstinence.
Dayum this poem is good.
Thank you so much, Reelika, praise indeed…
It’s really depressing how cyclical society is, how short our memory, how quickly we forget the wrongs we promised to never repeat. It’s a shame. I’m still young, but I feel so exhausted at the thought of the state of the world, and the effort required to “fix” it.
“Is there any point arguing
with people who believe in
irrational things like God
or the supremacy of the British” <– these lines made me laugh. Indeed, you cannot argue with the irrational. The worst thing is that they believe you are irrational. I will never understand. *sighs woefully*
Thanks for sharing this piece <3
I guess a lot depends on where you are born into the cycle, Ari, because everything seemed to be on the up when I was young (born 1955 – not long post-war) it seems particularly disheartening how things have turned back but perhaps you will see a realignment on things like democracy, rules based order, in your lifetime – I hope so, though I think things may get worse before they get better…
Putting a text Heart emoji – very old school <3
Well done, Andrew! I think your final conclusion is the best one! We can bang our heads against the wall, shout, and scream to no avail. But we can call into question all the foolishness we see happening all around us.
That’s it exactly, Dwight – let’s keep calling things out…
Thanks for the reminder that its useless making folks believe otherwise if they are set on their ways. The world moves on and we learn to just let go. I like how a new set of generation are fighting back with new weapons like fact-checking and or digital abstinence. Enjoyed the read.
Thanks, Grace, I try to hold onto hope…
“One day I saw the world was sunburnt
because politicians count on being gone
before the bill for sun caused cancer
becomes due against their grandchildren”
This poem is brilliant, Andrew. I like
the way you ended it.
Thanks, Sara, it was a fruitful prompt from my local library poets group – usually 8 or 9 of us and most of them have no online presence!
Andrew, your recurring refrain “One day I saw” gives this strength and momentum, creates a feeling of life gradually awakening to ongoing realities. I really enjoyed it. Last stanza is my favorite.
Thanks so much, Helen, you really get it…
So many reflections on our present state of the world. You excel in writing contemplative poems.
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