'Fool's Requiem' by David Bench put us in mind of a modern-day Ozymandias, with its stark imagery and strong message; in this case, a warning from a post-apocalyptic future. David has created a richly atmospheric sensory landscape in just fifteen lines, and manages to create a sense of both antiquity and modernity through his lexical choices. We are very excited to present 'Fool's Requiem' and think you'll find it as thought-provoking as we do.
Author's introduction: This piece is a post-apocalyptic view of a world where Humankind has fallen victim to its own technology.
Fool's Requiem
by David Bench
The Machine asserts dominion
Great cities crumble into dust
As humankind
Vanquished by hubris, lies
Beneath the soundless, empty sky
Among the whirring demons of its own creation
Bleached bones bathed in the rainbow hues
Of a hundred flickering screens, an iteration
Of the faces once so prevalent
Now gone
No monument or stone to mark
The passing into nothingness
No elegy or requiem mass
Nor living thing to hear
The final, whimpered cry
Author Bio
David Bench has worked in healthcare for 33 years. Dave’s works include “Take Me to the Zoo!” and “Take Me to the Beach!”. He illustrated “The New Kid” written by his wife, Liesl.
A father and grandfather, he enjoys cooking and time with his family. Dave resides in Utah, USA.
Check out Dave's website at benchpress-publishing.com.
Cover image by funnytools via Pixabay