The Hillside Philosophers

Text:

© WanHu
Back in the old days, in AD33, on a hill in Galilee they tried
To satisfy their wonderment at the entire Cosmic firmament
They say the ancient mystics never lied
They thought they had some answers, that lovely bunch of chancers,
In a book of shepherds' fantasies
From the first and the previous centuries
Love your neighbour as yourself
Always turn the other cheek. The Earth will be left to the meek.
Much to their Roman overlords' surprise
The hillside philosophers of Old Galilee
Said "love everybody, both friends and enemies
But pray for those who prosecute.
Some other rules are absolute:
Focus attention on all that is real
Be honest and truthful. Don’t lie and don’t steal
Don’t worship relics of fabric or stone
Don’t kill, zip your trousers, you don’t need an iphone
Take a day off, be nice to the 'rents
Pay reasonable taxes to a reasonable Government"
All that was written in AD33
Great words of wisdom from antiquity
But it’s the foundation of 2000 years of
Slaughter and murder, hatred and fear
The hoarding of wealth and the senseless destruction
Of life on this planet, for the God of production
Maybe instead of dissecting the past
We can build us a future that prospers and lasts.

©W Ian Young (WanHu) October 2021