Enchanting
decoration
for our eyes,
the embodiment of light
of dreamy fantasies
of ideals
of heroes
of feats sublime,
dramas of color
and sound,
visions uplifting
and sights profound,
escape from dreary
daily labor
with a veil of wonder,
in a world of splendor.
In
modern culture
filled with fear
entertainment parades
inhuman nightmares
of hellish imagination,
of destruction,
of wars,
of tortured senses
dulling compassion
for human suffering
and honest ambition,
filling the mind,
blinding the eyes,
shaping values
based on lies.
Killing
our hopes
with a cynical game
in a virtual reality
of enemies,
of interests,
of good guys,
of fame,
making a caricature
of the human race
with lusty patriots
who don't see the face
of the people they hate,
in arrogant pride
with a godly war,
they entertain.
In
our culture of fear
it is, oh, so natural
to spend millions of dollars
to recruit the soldiers
of the next generation
with the bloodless seduction
of video games
of excitement
of reflexive killing
of adventure without pain,
in hypnotic rhythm
and exploding flame
where there is no danger
of bodily harm
where the soul succumbs
to patriotic charms
of guileless politicians
who are merchants for arms.
The
borders have blurred
between entertainment
and world events
no more uplifting escape
into the ideal,
into lands pleasant
with endless possibility
and joyful imagination.
The new reality
of entertainment mixed
with politics
have finally achieved
a seamless drama
where nightly news
and fictitious series
excite mass consumption
of a human condition
beyond fear
or real-life casualties.
We
pay good money
to buy our ticket
congratulate ourselves
for our civic spirit
not realizing
that the daily labor
of our human nature
should create common ties
to meet the needs
of our common lives.
Instead
we are slaves
of other's greed
we open our mouths wide
eager with hearts naïve
to swallow the icons
of the earth's destruction
as a compelling religion
of salvation
preached by the priests
of manipulation
while enjoying the feast
of our excited senses
with thrilling
nail-biting
world-shaking
mind-dulling
heart-stopping
hand-clapping
soul-wrenching
tax-eating
late-breaking
up-to-the-minute
entertainment.