A Changed World

If one was to walk around the world now,

They’d see

Paris stripped down of all its romantic glory,

New York, devoid of hustle,

The great wall of china, no different than any other wall,

Lady liberty, looking forlornly over the sea,

The taj mahal, standing alone and cold through countless nights,

The Sydney opera house, with no audience or performer,

Every Disneyland, all magic lost,

Mecca, absolutely empty.

Principles are washed away;

Hugs and kisses are now weapons,

And not visiting far-away relatives is a sign of love.

And I can’t help but feel like

Now’s the moment everyone realizes

That power, beauty, and money have no real worth in the face of something infinitely bigger,

Something that seems like a voice of nature

Is sending us a message:

‘when you come back, remember

You are my guests

Not my masters.’