Humanity's Pawn

Humanity's Pawn



The dust continues to collect more and more in Humanity's Pawn.
Morals and values placed high on a shelf out of reach,
out of sight with each year bringing another layer of dust.

They have no place in today's society.
No value.
And so the eternal shop-keep with his graying hair
placed them on that shelf so high becoming their forever home.

Perhaps someday forever will be sliced.
Perhaps not.
We can hope so.
The eternal shop-keep hopes so.
We like to think so anyway.

Maybe forever will be sliced
and those morals and values up there on that shelf
will again catch a wanderers eye.
Maybe they will come down from that forever home and be wanted,
be dusted off because they have been layered in filth for far, far too long.

But for now the shop-keep sighs heavily.
He takes his overcoat from the ancient coat rack 
in the corner of the store by the door.

He turns around one more time to look at those morals and values
with an empty, haunted face.
Turning back, he flicks off the lights in the store,
closing and locking the door as if anyone even cares
and steps out into the cold.

--msl2023