I see a statue in front of a building
put there by the municipality...
It probably cost them one hundred thousand
or so, and it looks
warped and distorted.
The child next door is hungry
and hasn’t had a proper meal
for more than a week.
They call this Beauty!

The corporation across the street
is painted beautiful colours.
I saw into one of their
executive offices and their
floors are carpeted with finesse
while the furnishings are beautiful,
elaborate antiques.
They tell us that they are running
on a deficit and that the public
must give them more money
to cover their operating costs.
They call this Fair!

Businesses boast of their new technology.
As I go to work every day, I notice
offices equipping themselves with
bigger and better machines.
They tell us with pride that
one machine can do the work of scores of people -
When I see around me, more and more
people being laid-off from
their jobs.
Because they have families and otherswho depend on them to be
taken care of, I watch the humiliation,
anger and violence mount because
of their inability to make ends meet.
They call this Progress!

The worlds of Science and Medicine
tell us of all their new and wonderful
breakthroughs in our time, and compare their
abilities to times past.
New equipment, discoveries, life saving
techniques for a myriad of grave illnesses -
Yet, I notice cutbacks in funding,
closing and ridding of wards and beds,
delayed surgeries and unnecessary death.
Medical professionals battling with
politicians to prevent these things.
Our politicians say - we need the money elsewhere.
We need to send our political
representatives here, there and everywhere.
We need to cover our deficit.
They call it Healing and Compassion!

Those in key positions in supplying
financing for new subsidy housing, keep telling us
of their efforts to build and provide
housing for the poor.
They tell us that they are working
on taking care of those who cannot afford
a place to live.
Yet, I read the other day, of how
an elderly person with nowhere to live,
froze to death sleeping on the street -
there was no place to call home.
They call this Hope!

Our educators tell us of how wonderful
the school system is.
How they are upgrading and adding
to the beauty of their buildings, installing
up-to-date technology so that
graduating students will be current when
they finally join the real world.
Yet, I see cutbacks in school funding,
freezes on teachers salaries, battling over
union negotiations -
Teachers on strike, and students
wondering if they will pass the year
when the feuding is over.
They call this Education!

Will we ever learn to live in peace-
with hope and compassion for everyone?
I’d like to think we could say yes.

© Deborah L. Kelly