H.F. Stein’s most recent poem to appear here was “Planetary” (November 2016)
Triumph of Hate
By Howard F. Stein
“Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold.” WB Yeats, “The Second Coming”
Hate has set love
to flight and hiding;
arms of affection,
too frightened
to reach out
toward vulnerable embrace
shrivel inward.
Plains Indians staged raids
with bows and arrows;
we point our automatic guns
toward random human targets,
mow them down
by the dozens and more,
no end to the escalation
of terror and blood—
pitiless slaughter
to avenge new
and long ago hurts.
Hate marches smartly
in endless perfect columns,
toward fields of engagement,
where death mounts its
final campaign over life.
We are the Beast
who slouches toward extinction.
Well done. I was just recently reading Yeat’s poems, so the timing of your poem was perfect for me. Well written and timely…unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing your words.
Dear Pamela, You really understand what the poem and I am about. I think that there is a dimension deeper than pessimism or nihilism. The poem is not about forecasting or predicting, but about warning. . . . and hope that we can turn back from the abyss in time. Thanks again for writing, Howard
Beautiful.
Thank you, Pamela, for your kind words. Yeats is one of my many favorite poets, and “The Second Coming” is one of my many favorite poems. As you can tell, my two concluding lines are modeled after Yeats’ concluding lines, with a bitter twist. May I add that some people think I am a sour pessimist in this poem. I think they read me wrongly. I do not make predictions or forecasts, but give a warning. There is still time for love, however imperfect, to turn the tide of hate. Thanks again for writing.
Truly on the mark! Howard.
When hate has little or no love to bind it we are truly in trouble.
Continuing somewhat with your epigraph from Yeats, I pray that the agents of hate will self destruct before “mere anarchy is loosed upon the earth.”
As in your poem, “Planetary” I feel nothing but humility and vulnerability at this time.
With esteem, as ever,
Maurice.