The Choice of Ruin!
How come or better what makes people knowingly choose a leader who thrives on destruction and cruelty? This searing poem tries to explore the mindset of disillusioned voters who, feeling powerless and betrayed by traditional appeals to reason, find a strange allure in chaos and brute strength. It examines how cynicism, resentment, and frustration with an unjust world drive people to vote for a “strongman” figure—not out of hope, but as a rejection of all they believe to be false. It is supposed to be a compelling reflection on the paradox of power and the dark allure of those who promise to tear it all down.
They choose the ones who break, who burn,
Where justice fades, and leaders turn.
When truth is lost and lies take root,
They cheer the harsh, salute the brute.
No call to reason pulls them near,
No proof or warning stirs their fear.
They see the world as bleak, unfair,
And answer rage with empty stare.
The crimes exposed, the power played,
Corruption shown and laws betrayed—
Yet still they vote, though cost is high,
For those who leave the weak to die.
In ruthless power’s iron hand,
They see a fate they understand.
To stand with force, though they may fall,
Is worth the price to watch it all.
For when they lift the strong, severe,
They draw from wrath the strength to steer.
If ruin comes, then let it be—
They find their will in cruelty.
There’s no belief in brighter days,
No call for softer, kinder ways.
They think no more of higher ground,
But see in loss a strength unbound.
The powerless, so deeply caught,
Desire wrath, for peace is naught.
They stake their trust in fists of might,
And mock the meek who shun the fight.
No moral plea, no gentler voice
Could sway them now to other choice.
They seek the thrill of battle’s cost
In worlds undone and orders lost.
Mourn not their fate, but see the bind:
To lose control, yet feel aligned.
For if they cannot claim their due,
They’ll praise the one who dares undo.
Martin Peacock
Fri 8th Nov 2024 14:38
Reggie, i'm in total accord with your 1st paragraph: too many people my age & older sought to turn the clock 'back' to a mythical age which never existed except in their heads; but i'm with Uilleam when he says we need to mitigate its toxic affer-effects - it was self-harm on a grand scale, but fortunately something we can, and should, attempt to heal. We can help to anneal the scars. If it's doable, we should do our best.