Sunday Morning (What a Wonderful World)

by John Long   Jun 5, 2010


Sunlight ricochets from the razor wire onto
The dead empty wine bottle pointing North
To the used condom laying snake like in the weeds.
And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.

Half the world is massaging it's conscience
Before 3 billion different gods with the same name
That justifies war, murder, female oppression, bigotry.
And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.

But the wine was full of warmth and heart and sun rich flavor,
The blood of every Christ and every Man and
A kid smiling through snot and tears dissolves razor wire,
So I say to myself, what a wonderful world.

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Latest Comments

  • 13 years ago

    by Sungrl And Mrs Whatsit

    Yes.

  • 13 years ago

    by abracadabra

    It's been a while since I've read your poetry, John. I disagree with Ingrid's above depiction of your poem. This poem speaks with bitter irony, yes, but I feel it was only written this way to highlight the beauty that Ingrid alluded to, especially in your last stanza, which is written to heart-wrenching perfection and links to your first stanza almost magically, seamlessly.
    The beauty of the world isn't just in sunlight and children and good times-- it can reside in the dirtiest, the most corrupt, the most hopeless of places. For even for this to happen, there needs to be passion and strength and faith and an innocence. And from this conflict, there arises art, a thing of beauty indeed.

  • 13 years ago

    by Jackie

    A good poem, very deep. 5/5

  • 13 years ago

    by Ingrid

    John,

    It has been so long since I read your work.
    This poem sounds so bitter, I hope it is not really how you feel. It is indeed so that we are surrounded by so much evil and there are so many reasons why you could let your head hang down..but amidst all this there is also beauty, it is a matter of where your focus is and accepting there will always be adversity too.

    Good job on this!

    God bless and a hug,

    5/5 Ingrid

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