It's A Wonderful Beet Life
You'll never believe me,
but I really must say.
All the magic that came,
on one winter's day.
Once upon a time,
I was holding a sign.
A peaceful message,
for the traffic in line.
'True candy is real,
and it grows on a tree.
Come try if you'd like,
sweet, healthy, and free!'
I had a stack of Kent Mangoes,
persimmons, citrus, and more.
A leaflet of recipes,
they could buy in the store.
Some cars were ecstatic,
though most looked away.
Rushing and frantic,
getting on with their day.
The hum of the world,
and you're caught in the middle.
So crazy and dark,
and you feel so little.
You know it'll happen,
and will try to prepare.
But seems to be fate,
that your patience will wear.
I packed up and left,
just one of those days.
Hopeless and scared,
while lost in this maze.
But I had it that day
and was losing my will.
For the journey of life,
seemed forever uphill.
Engrossed in my portrait,
and synopsis of life.
The madness and pain,
and perpetual strife:
'Fat, sick, and diseased,
city sprawl and pollution.
Resigned to this norm,
though there is a solution.'
'The animals enslaved,
a most awful existence.
Bred to be killed,
without voice or assistance.'
'Most pretend it's not there,
and go on with their day.
Easy when hidden,
and so far away.'
'Taught to distract,
and just manage our mood.
From T.V and screens
to poisonous food.'
'Work and consume,
the life that we know.
Commercials and billboards,
wherever we go.'
'A new virtual existence,
forget about earth!
When there's likes and views,
to give meaning and worth.'
'Buttons for everything,
seems to be the end goal.
So cut off from nature,
surely taking its toll.'
'Just blind leading the blind,
all wishing for more.
From grown-ups to kids,
or rich and the poor.'
'Don't want their money,
big houses, and things.
Crazy outfits and shoes,
watches, purses, and rings.'
'I wish it were different,
but what on earth could I do?
Perhaps there's some island...
If only I knew.'
'This is a nightmare,
please God let me leave.
Is this why I'm here,
just to wallow and grieve?'
'Hey God,' I then shouted,
'or to whomever I speak.
Your life game's a torture,
you sadistic old freak!'
'Thanks for the paradise,
so we can see what we miss.
I love the old adage,
yes, ignorance is bliss.'
'Did you consult Shakespeare,
for a tragedy so bleak?
I thought your son said,
quite blessed are the meek.'
'Well, why to these animals,
who could never do harm?
This awful existence,
on some factory farm?'
'And for us we just watch,
quite torturous too.
Knowing they suffer,
without much to do.'
'If that's how it is,
you can wipe me away.
My entire existence,
to end on this day.'
I yelled to the night,
with no one around.
So windy and cold,
as snow hit the ground.
I walked to the bridge,
and looked out at the sky.
It soon setting in,
I was going to die.
It's all quite surreal,
the last choice you'll make.
Intensely confused,
yet supremely awake.
I was lost in my thoughts,
and dwelled without hope.
Believing somehow,
there was no way to cope.
I remembered those feelings,
and started up to the top.
When suddenly I heard,
some voice scream, 'Stop!'
I stumbled and fell back,
yet still was alive.
Funny my instinct,
was still to survive.
My whole world lit up,
from one little distraction.
Crazy how fickle,
each thought, mood, and action.
Such a peculiar voice,
but where did it go?
For nothing around,
but wind, sky, and snow.
I glanced down at the ground,
and jumped back in surprise.
With this cute little creature,
staring into my eyes.
Wouldn't you know it,
it was a talking Beet!
So purple and small,
looking up from my feet.
'This isn't real,' I said.
'A beet cannot talk!'
'Yes I can,' he said.
'And so can I walk.'
We both just stared,
in this silent discourse.
While snow and wind
came through with such force.
'Hallucination?' I thought,
or perhaps just a dream.
Still so unique,
and real he does seem.
'I'm not sure,' I began,
'if I am crazy or not.
But here you still are,
so thought I'd give it a shot.'
The little beet started laughing,
and dancing all around.
Giggling and singing,
with such jovial sound.
He stood on one arm,
and then flew through the air.
Dancing through snowflakes,
with magical flair.
He made melodies sweet,
and moved with such grace.
Vibrant and glowing,
with his smiling bright face.
He stopped and looked up,
so I started clapping.
Then bowed and flipped back,
on ice he was tapping.
He eventually stopped,
and again we both stared.
So I told my story,
to see if he cared.
'I'm sorry,' I said,
'but am down and out.
Painfully wondering,
what this life's all about.'
'I know, I know!' he exclaimed.
'I heard your loud cry.
Then dropped all my things,
and flew through the sky.'
'I much do wonder,' I said,
'and would love to understand.
About your Beet world,
and magical land.'
'But I'm up on this bridge,
it's been such a tough day!
And would love to hear,
all you've come just to say.'
'Come with me,' he continued,
'if your mind is so torn.
For I'll show you the world,
if you'd never been born.'
'Amazing!' I had thought,
as I prepared for this ride.
While laughing in tears,
the Beet couldn't hide.'
He then shut his eyes,
sitting still and intense.
I looked on in awe,
and quite eager suspense.
'You don't notice,' he began,
'but you need to reflect.
On the ways of the world,
and its cause and effect.'
'Small things make bigger ones,
that's a good place to start.
For so much seems huge,
yet is tiny at heart.'
'For without small there's nothing,
the big never forms.
Whether atoms or mountains,
or societal norms.'
'So how small we talkin',
almost invisible indeed.
The most powerful lens,
you surely would need.'
'And without 1 it's different,
each has its own place.
Making carbon or iron,
or even your face.'
'It keeps going and going,
smaller and smaller to no end.
Almost nothing there,
though appears when they blend.'
'Let's start with atoms,
building blocks of it all.
From mountains to oceans,
or to people quite tall.'
'Each thing then interacts,
bigger realities form.
From birth to new species,
or this giant snowstorm.'
'Currents always forming,
this grand cosmic plot.
Through cause and effect,
of each little dot.'
'This extends to you humans,
like earthquakes or waves.
Dynamics will form,
from how each behaves.'
'It all forms the same:
Rocks, plants, and evolution.
Habits and feelings,
or war and revolution.'
'Small things collide,
interact and then change.
Cascading forever,
with an infinite range.'
'So the atoms make you up
and combine in such ways.
From there you go on,
to live out your days.'
'Still, you're much like the atoms,
making up larger things.
All you think, say, and do,
and the changes it brings.'
'You're part of a web,
in every direction.
Impossible to see,
it's every connection.'
'Multiplicity and diverse,
yet coming together.
Gravitating to oneness,
in every endeavor.'
'Can you see the red,
inside of one cell?
Yet combine 1 billion,
and of course you can tell.'
'It extends to you humans,
and all of your history.
Tough to chart each course,
but it's still not a mystery.'
'From Napoleon to Hitler,
or barbaric norms.
Each man's participation,
is how it all forms.'
'Your life's in the middle,
seems invisible and small.
Well it is, don't you see?
But it still affects all.'
'You impact the world,
and it's impacted you.
Your thoughts and emotions,
and all that you do.'
'Open up and look deeply,
in quiet reflection.
Herein lies answers,
to life's best direction.'
'I can't say much,
because only you know.
This is your choice,
you too write the show.'
'Just don't get stuck,
in the formation of herds.
Dogmatic and scared,
in blind reverence of words.'
'Fear catches on,
like gravitational force.
Mind its allure
and soul-crushing course.'
'Know who you are,
and what you don't need.
True riches and joy,
when finally freed.'
'Be humble and open,
to what you don't know.
Yet have a little faith,
on which way to go.'
'You don't live in the future,
and in moments afar.
Settle down and relax,
and just be where you are.'
'Your brain is recording,
every time you react.
Programming itself,
with your thoughts and each act.'
'Hence change can be tough,
from how brains get wired.
Taking time and patience,
despite how inspired.'
'Each life has its story,
do keep that in mind.
With so much depending,
on whether you're kind.'
'They may seem alien,
yet are still a reflection,
of a shared compulsion,
for control and perfection.'
'With memories and mind,
or heart and emotion.
Still all have capacity,
for love and devotion.'
'Of course it's a saga!
For the world's still learning.
Finding its balance,
as it keeps on turning.'
'Your birth is included,
and your life is a seed.
You're making history,
with every action and deed.'
'It extends generations,
so perhaps you don't see.
You're life's impact,
fully grown to a tree.'
'You're employed by the world,
for whatever it's worth.
Essential though small,
in the story of earth.'
'There's always a choice,
for goodness or bad.
Remember that my friend,
no matter how sad.'
'Light up the darkness,
you do have a part.
Believe and have faith,
it's quite a good start.'
The Beet then stopped,
and gave me a wink.
Disappearing at once,
with snow frosted pink.
I laid there a while,
and just slept on the ground.
Entranced in the peace,
of the snow's gentle sound.
I awoke fully buried,
yes, I was frozen in snow.
Springing up like a zombie,
quite time that I go!
I ran through the streets,
with great fury and might.
Though scared this old lady,
who screamed with such fright.
Eventually I made it,
and such euphoria felt.
To just sit by a fire,
and blissfully melt.
