Once upon a planet only lids opened up
to search in the heavens for heaven
or a place to land a tin can.

Now so many worried eyes in the sky
size up every corner on Earth
where envy punches down at empathy.

When conscience might beat hearts,
sockets fall to reptile impulses.

The cooperation that threw a tube
carrying beings at the moon sits fated
on a launchpad, a deflated hot air balloon.

Wind blows across deserts where wildlife
preyed in lush flora and across the faces
left behind for poised, rag-tag reasons.

Too few pupils dilate from brainstem
to frontal lobe to bring honor to Homo sapiens.

Photo by Yuting Gao from Pexels