BLOOD ON THE FLOOR
There is blood on the floor
It’s the blood of our youth
It’s been there before
It’s stark, shocking proof
Of sickness in this land
Leaving blood on our hand
There is blood on the floor
Despite the cry across the land
Of no more, no more, no more
Our Leaders refuse to take a stand
“This must stop”, they loudly say
But never do they find a way
There is blood on the floor
Another school another state
Is anyone one keeping score
Our children still meet their fate
Do those we sent to the congress floor
Hear our demand: no more, no more
The blood on the school floor
Is from our lovely daughters
As we cried so many times before
These useless slaughters
They are killing our sons
Sacrificed by our sacred guns.
Arthur Rathburn January 2025
SEARCH FOR THE PROMISED LAND
Is failure in my search, despair?
Or is it in the search I should care?
Through life’s forest are many paths
Each with a chance to prevail
Each with a chance to fail.
Mine was to lead to eternal bliss,
Providing no turn did I miss.
I was to follow the strict rules.
Wisemen made the sacred laws.
How could there possibly be flaws?
I took the path my parents set.
Only confusion and doubt I met,
Despite having holy book in hand.
If the path was so clear and true
Why is the end found by so few.
I stumbled from that sacred trail
On which it was said I couldn’t fail.
Was I destined to be forever lost?
I was to find other sacred ways
Recommended with glorious praise.
On each new path to glory I took,
I carried the proper holy book.
Each clearly stated what was right.
All other books must I feed to flame,
Even though the destiny was the same.
Path after new path I wandered
On each I eventually floundered
It seemed increasingly clear.
True was my fear of being forever lost
Into the depths of hell to be tossed.
Now as my search nears its end,
I being no longer able to defend
Against normal deterioration of age.
I realize, all paths lead to the promise land
Which was always in my seeking hand.
Reflections of my experience with the fallacies of religions. There will only be peace when there are no religious leaders telling us all others are wrong.