Interpretation Of Progress Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Their progress to have made has left,
The air. The water.
And food grown to eat,
Chemicalized with steroids.
And other unknown pesticides.
Too contaminated to treat.
Creating new diseases.
And destroying colonies of bees.

But this,
Is considered progress.
A progress many,
From it they wish to retreat.

Their interpretation of progress,
Is to ignore homelessness and hunger...
On several shores left to blame,
The less fortunate driven to become normads.
Although sickened but used to compare,
To others using statistics...
As proof they are chosen to make false claims.

Their interpretation of progress,
Is to evade and enslave...
Those defenseless and victimized,
By technology and misdeeds.
To then have those who suffer believe...
If they pray with faith kept,
Their souls replaced will be returned in 'Heaven'.
Along with their lost pride. Identities.
And dignities to charade as an accepted humility.

Their interpretation of progress,
Is to inflict conflict, confusion and division to initiate.
With a hatred baited as an appetizer to debate.
Yet...
Their interpretation of progress,
Has deepened their own debts...
In cesspools of pain and sorrows to regret,
An increase of mental illness...
Released to manifest an infestation,
Left to affect their own mindsets.

Their progress to have made has left,
The air. The water.
And food grown to eat,
Chemicalized with steroids.
And other unknown pesticides.
Too contaminated to treat.
Creating new diseases.
And destroying colonies of bees.
But their minds, also...
Have gone from them permanently.
To leave too few believing,
This is progress that has been achieved.