top of page

Everyone Sometimes Does a Little Something Stupid†

"I’m not sure what weapons the Third World War will be fought with, but the Fourth World War will be fought with sticks and stones."*—Albert Einstein


How did we ever come to this—

By what mad game of hit or miss?

Are things really what they seem?

La vida es sueño, "Life's a dream,"

says Calderón.

We'll wake up, then? If so, how soon

—and to what song?

"Everyone Sometimes Does a Little Something Stupid"†?

Is that reflection still of use

When human trash degrades the Moon??


Shouldn't we now speak in tongues?

Our rulers flash their dirty fingernails (they're none too bright).

Remember this if all else fails:

Time is the elephant in the street

Where doomèd lovers used to meet,

But luck's the [R]hino in the room.


*"Ich bin nicht sicher, mit welchen Waffen der dritte Weltkrieg ausgetragen wird, aber im vierten Weltkrieg werden sie mit Stöcken und Steinen kämpfen."

†Musical accompaniment: "Jeder macht mal eine Dummheit" / "Everyone Sometimes Does Something Stupid," title of the slow foxtrot in Nicholas Brodszky’s 1933 movie “Scandal in Budapest” (Skandal in Budapest), https://youtu.be/Itv9GkSh9ZY?si=CbNACbwYRdI1kcN8


17 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating

Join our mailing list

Thanks for subscribing!

Photo by Peter Dreyer

 Cyclops by Christos Saccopoulos, used by kind permission of the sculptor.

Copyright © 2023 - by Peter Dreyer

bottom of page