Great Poetry

[Brian37]

 If You Would Only, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB and @Brianrrs37 on twitter)
 
"If you would only",
Is the same line
Used by the majority
Of the religious worldwide
 
"You didn't pick
The right sect
Follow the right holy person
Or interpret it correct"
 
But funny that
Look at ants
Cooperate fine
Without worshiping that
 
Funny how
Elephants mourn
Protect their young
Without folklore 
 
If I'd only
Buy those things
Without scrutiny 
Without question?
 
Isn't that really
What causes our problems?
Buy the car
Without an inspection?
 
"If you'd only
Do it my way"
Is not an argument
Based on reason
 
We know far more
That was then
Today's data
Got us to the moon
 
It is never too soon
Never too late
To give up on old claims
Proven to be out of date
 
Scrutiny 
Neutrual objectivity
Observation
Exceedingly likely
 
Likely to pave
Our future with facts
It's time to leave
Myths in the past
 
"If only you'd be
Intelectually brave
Willing to be wrong
Not be a slave
 
Not be a slave
To falacious appeals
Those of traditions
Of things not proven
 
If only you'd see
The world is less frightening
When we see it through nature
And not superstition
 
Appeals to emotion
Are not an argument
You don't have to buy
The religion of your parents
 
In poems prior
I have stated before
There is lots of wonder
And good in the world
 
But there is no magic
To any of it
To human behaviors
Be they good or bad
 
No super hero
To punish you
With a earthquake or tornado
Nor cancer too
 
I've heard it 
From every label
"If only you'd pick
You'd be able"
 
My response
In every instance 
Regardless of
The club they argue
 
"Maybe you
Need to consider
It's all made up
By fallible humans"
 
It's not frightening
To me in the least
To skip the forever
Accept the ride ends
 
What matters is now
Not a fantasy future
There has never been
A utopia forever
 
I do find comfort
In the love of friends
In support of family
And beautiful sunsets
 
None of that
Requires a god of the gaps
Nor reincarnation
To accept facts
 
I find joy
in silly jokes
Spending time with family
And friendly folks
 
In gentle surf
Caressing the beach
In knowing the moon
The tides do reach
 
In the bright contrast
Of the Monarch butterfly
Or the hump back whale
Breaching water to the sky
 
I cannot nor will not
Allow my brain
To think all this
Is due to a magic man
 
If you'd only
Think of it naturally
You could see
Nature's vitality
 
Even with
Disaster and death
There is no need
To explain it with myth
 
We are a blip
And that's ok
It won't hurt humanity
To think that way
 
"If only you'd
Do it my way"
Is a dangerous distraction
Ignoring we're not at all different.