Apocalypse Now?

What a state this world is in. We have a dying planet, choked up with emissions, and strangled with plastic and waste. Now I am sure the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are here. I wrote the poem / story below some years ago. I thought things were bad then yet nothing has improved infact it’s worse. So I have revamped the story today!

IS IT REALLY  TOO LATE? 

Time was late, the day was cold  the doors of the coffee shop suddenly flew apart

The scene  from the street was enough to stop your heart.

Four horse men

Slowly and silently approached along the street.

No one could of known, this was the place they had assigned to meet.

As this strange apparition  it’s progress did make,

It left fights and hunger and  deathly illness in it’s wake.

Where once was the  normal order of life

Was suddenly killing and gorging, sickness, death and strife.

Stopping their horses and dismounting as one

They found a spare lamp post their magnificent animals to leash upon.

One of their number scanned the street “No parking meters ….sweet”

They entered the coffee shop and two fights broke out

And terrible hunger and thirst spread about.

Terrified customers died in the rush for the door

People started to sicken with rashes and pustules and what’s more there was blood and guts all over the floor.

Death motioned the others to get a table

As he addressed the barista, a sickly lad  and ordered “four Americanos and a bagel!”

The boy felt so weak as he looked in to the eyes of Death fear gripped his throat

The rest of his staff were in the same boat lost and helpless’ bereft of hope!

Setting down the tray and handing Famine his food,

“I wanted espresso “griped War in a mood.

Death raised his scythe and told him to mind his place.

For he had the last  word and was in charge of this space!

Finally with the local humans all dead

They sipped quietly on their coffee, just for now doing what their leader had said.

After a short while Conquest / Pestilence looked up

And asked “is this coffee fair trade” as he finished his cup.

Famine smirked at the joke his brother had made.

“I need another , where is the barista ”  Death answered ” He died”…… “Okay” Famine sighed

Coffee over, decisions needed to be  made

How to deal with this world’s problem. Plans had to be laid.

“I think I should simply traverse this world

And make them their missiles unfurl,”

Said War before adding “with you,  Death in my wake,

How long would total annihilation  take?”

“No “chipped in Pestilence I can spread  my cloak and make them all suffer.

I have a new toy Corvid 19

It favours the old and sick , it very keen.

You can then step in Death, as they choke  and splutter.”

War banged the table ready to fight

But Death stepped in knowing his way was right .

Looking around brothers do you not agree

They are doing an excellent job of destroying themselves without any help from you or me.”

He saw they were not happy with his interventions

So he enlightened them all with ghastly intentions .

“We need to just hover on the sidelines and leave them to fester.

It will all end soon, this planet cannot sustain forever these hopeless jesters!

They thought for a while while Death entertained them, with his  fiddle

Like Nero back when Rome was burning. but not such  giggle.

The decision was made and they all agreed

They would just make thing worse for all those in need .

They would feed the wars and starve the medical fractions,

Of knowledge and money.

They would disease the corn the milk and the honey.

Death would stalk the world in his usual way

Clearing up the mess and dead at the end of the day.

They then  left the scene of their destroying powers

Riding  off together into the west leaving death and destruction and lots of wilting flowers .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The News papers and TV got the story the very same day.

“Police want to question four hoodies on horse back ” they say.

There is  a witness a child who manage to hide and lived to tell what they had seen.

Apparently strange horses, one white,one red, one black and one pale green?

This  made the  headlines  all over, for a day, well maybe one day more

Then it is back to Famine and  Plague in Africa and  the States and UK to step into  yet another War!

The Greens are screaming we must save Mother Earth

Unknowing that she already dancing  a dirge with Death.

.

Death sat in a corner and polished his scythe and pondered the meeting that morning,

Well he had at least tried to buy these humans ( for whom he actually cared) some time .

But even holding off his brothers, of hope there still was no sign.

He was tired of all the work he had to do,

Exhausted in fact, and his brothers were too.

The task set before them was too great for them to solve ..

Hopefully God will intervene and those irritating humans will evolve  !

As the Apocalyptic quartet rode off claiming souls

They were laughing at humans all bulk buying toilet rolls.

All that paper won’t help them survive

With plague’s new new virus, no amount of loo roll will keep them alive.