Cautionary Tale

I have tried to live a good life; had I done otherwise, would I have been more a success? Just wondering.

Topsy Turvy: A Haiku

I have lived my life

All wrong; seems intolerance,

Bigotry succeed.

I am a writer. My only weapon is the word upon the page. Now, I fear I have not the words to warn of the perils we are facing. And we are facing them because of our collective hubris and ignorance.

We (the citizens of these United States of America) have elected to be led by a vengeful, under-educated man who appeals to the baser instincts of our populace and mankind in general.

We will suffer the consequences of our rashness. The exclusionary tactics this leadership now embraces have damaged and will further damage our standing in the world community.

Once looked up to as the people most people wanted to be like, we are now the pariahs no one wants to be associated with (except perhaps, for a few social groups with reputations as damaged as our own).

What do I write during these times? I am not a pundit. I do not feel I can change the world with one well-written sentence or (heaven help me) one skillfully chosen word.

My daily Haiku offerings seem to have become a collection of my feelings and an expression of my trepidation for the difficulties that lie ahead of us.

My fiction must not turn from its original purpose – to provide an escape from the world that is

  – into a world better or worse (as the case may be), but at the least – fictional.

Although, somehow, it feels like the world as it stands now is but a fiction and a dystopian one at that.

I have no antidote to this world as it stands today. My writings are but aspirin to alleviate the pain, if only temporarily. I would hope my readers find such enjoyable.

If you would rather read something that might shake up your world a bit, may I suggest reading the incomparable George Orwell. At the very least, watch the movies.

His "1984" and "Animal Farm" should be required reading for every American, because, people, we are living these books today.

"Big Brother" is here and you need to be afraid – very afraid. The liberties taken from us will not easily be restored. And even more liberties are in danger. He is hoping we will acquiesce and come to believe in the truth as he tells it, however many times he changes it.

In reality – facts are facts and #AlternativeFacts are a fiction, and I know fiction. We have become a nation of fictions. We have come to believe "the man behind the curtain" is all-powerful, when it is we who have unwittingly bestowed such powers upon him. (Just thought I'd drop a little "Wizard of Oz" in here, too.)

And as far as "Animal Farm" goes, believe me when I say 'the knacker's wagon is coming' and sooner rather than later. It will not take us to greener pastures.

My intended blog "Must Edit!" must take a back seat for now. Some other things needed to be said. I will attempt to return to my regularly scheduled blog postings next month. However, I am happy I am posting any blog on time, and I hope to continue to do so.