What If?

Posted on March 24, 2020 by

34 Comments

“Barn’s burnt down, now I can see the moon.”- Mizuta Masahide

As each day brings more death and we find ourselves
In the midst of this voracious disease,
I can’t help but wonder what put us in this place

One theory is a bat bit a live animal
In a wet market in China
And from that defining moment in time
The virus spread from animal to human

The more I ponder this sci-fi scene
The more I begin to know and believe
Could this be Mother Nature
In the only way she knows
Leveling the playing field?

If you think about this, it makes sense
Because nature by design
Is based on order and balance
And mankind has been tipping
The world in our favor for much too long

And yet, we haven’t listened
Or heeded the warning signs
We’ve kept on cutting down verdant lush forests
The very lungs of this planet
Polluting earth’s soil, our lakes, oceans, and streams
Destroying living creatures and their habitats,
Leaving them to adapt or face a sure extinction

So, what if?

What if this poor harmless bat, had by our own hand,
Been driven from the only home he had known
And was only trying to survive and feed his family?

Is he to blame and the cause of all our misery or are we?
Will we open our eyes and see ~ accept our culpability?

©2020 Linda Lee Lyberg

dVerse Poets Pub: Poetics- Now I can See

Linda Lee Lyberg is a wife, mother, artist, published poet and author. She resides in Mesa, AZ with her husband Pete (aka The Big Viking) of 24 years, and her dog, Ricky Bobby. Linda writes various forms of poetry, as well as short stories. You can read more of her works at: charmedchaos.com
and purchase anthologies containing her work here: Amazon Author Page

Category: PoetryTags: , ,

34 Comments on “What If?”

  1. I believe that Mother Nature is pulling in our reins and showing us a lesson, Linda. These lines are so true:
    ‘…nature by design
    Is based on order and balance
    And mankind has been tipping
    The world in our favor for much too long’.
    I love the speculation about the bat. It’s about time humans accepted their culpability, took it on the nose and changed their ways.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  2. I think your “what if” is a possibility. I enjoyed the way you laid this out, taking us on a journey of contemplative thoughts. So sad that we’ve made the earth so desperate.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. Cars and factories don’t pollute, smog like the brown scum left on glass in a smoker’s home, is lifting, and dolphins are swimming again in the once murky canals of Venice.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  6. I’ve had the same thought, Earths immune system kicking in as we, the Virus Rex are getting out of hand… But I didn’t think it so beautifully. Especially the bats-view I liked, could very well be so! This year we didn’t have winter, not really, in south Finland where I live.. Society of consuming indoctrinated and even based our economy to consumption of resources, and we know the damage we do. Maybe this pandemic would finally wake us up into our true spiritual humanity? Dare I dream, unite us?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  10. we are certainly not blameless – lost of habitat, climate change, multiple co-morbidities due in part to life style choices etc. most animals including viruses are just acting as is their nature with no ill will intended. I wish i could say the same for the human animal.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. You cut to the heart in this one Linda. You have said it very well… we are culpable! I am a firm believer that the earth takes care of itself, rather than the other way around. Maybe someday we will learn! Then again, maybe not!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. kaykuala

    Because nature by design
    Is based on order and balance

    Very good observation Linda and very accurate in many instances. Nature works it out in such a way it is being fair to all. So where did we go wrong?

    Hank

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 7,328 other subscribers
Follow Charmed Chaos on WordPress.com
JUST RELEASED!
JUST RELEASED!
Bartender at
Barista at Go Dog Go Cafe
Archives
Awards Top 20 Short Story Blog
POETS CORNER
Translate
Read the Printed Word!
Copyright©2017-2025

© Linda Lee Lyberg and Charmed Chaos. 2017-2025. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Linda Lee Lyberg and Charmed Chaos with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Write Idea, LLC  DBA Charmed Chaos- Mesa, AZ USA