BREAK DOWN

       

                                    

    1)   All of a sudden, silence profound

           Not even a hum or beeping sound

           No lifts, no whir of kitchen gadgets I heard

           No shout of excitement, not even a word.

  2)      No T.V. no mobile, no megaphone loud

           Dumb stillness spread around like a shroud;

           No mad craze as all systems crashed

           All work force-stopped, none madly rushed.

3)        Hands busied themselves in household chores

           Cooking, washing and sweeping the floor

           Kids used their brains to count and write;

           No mechanical help with solutions straight.

4)        Men passed their time in strolling through green

           Watching the colorful sunset scene;

           The roar of speeding vehicles disturbed no more

           No more deafening music from all sides pours.

5)       No smoky pollution all around

          No vehicles – all have to walk on ground;

          No costly restaurants there to dine

         Only home-cooked victuals tasting fine.

6)     Nature seemed free from man’s greedy grip

        Rivers flowed with fresh waters to sip;

        Nature’s boundaries none can skip

        Our false pretensions we have to strip.

7)     Men stayed at home cool, unruffled minds

        Close intimacy in their families find;

        Young kids no more tied down to books and mobiles

        Go out to play in lawns with spirits agile. 

8)    If all systems fail, what will remain?

       What use these devices and instruments vain?

       Nature’s gifts don’t underestimate

       On nature depends our survival and fate.

9)    Our so-called safe systems smashed in a flash

       And all our gadgets seemed to be trash;

       All our knowledge advanced has failed futile

       We have to change our views and living style.

10)  No more speeding flights, no electric lights

       No luxury cars and caravans in sight;

       Each limited to his home and country farm

       Should work to earn, no rushing traffic jam.

11)   All is not gone; be not submerged in gloom

        Still we have to live- no danger or doom;

        Had not our ancestors lived in conditions worse?

        They found joy in hard work and not in easy purse. 

12)   With changing times adjust thy pace

         Creativity blossoms in many ways;

         Realize your potential and use your mind

         Harmonize with Nature generous and kind.

13)    Like devouring dinosaurs with monstrous size

         You destroyed Nature for gains unwise;

         Leading to this catastrophic surprise

         Polluting Nature under technological guise.

14)    Our ancestors combined beauty with use

          A sense of devotion in everything did fuse;

          No mindless destruction or misuse

          Nature’s gifts they enriched, never did they lose.

15)     This swift astounding change may possibly bring

          A new era with a fresh new beginning;

          A new vision with a new attitude

          A new Atlantis with wisdom imbued.

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           23rd May, 2020                            Somaseshu Gutala

Note:  Once in our locality there was a sudden break down of power supply. Dead  silence I felt in our building which used to have a variety of sounds emanating from various gadgets besides the sounds of bikes and cars. I visualized an imaginary situation of the city if all systems fail including internet and automobiles. What will be the reaction of an ordinary person in such a situation?   Of course man has to rely on his own abilities and mutual co-ordination. The sudden cessation of activities will surely make man observe his surroundings and persons to get an intimate understanding. Cut off from electronic devices he has to rely on books and other written material. He will come to intimate terms with Nature and derive pleasure to behold her charms and her valuable lessons.The precious value of manual labor and involvement will be understood. He has to give up his dependence on machines and hone his own skills to face life's challenges. He has to activate his creative skills and talents. This "catastrophic surprise" may happen due to man's destructive instincts and his overambitious, exploitative attitude towards Nature. Man has to adjust to his new circumstances for his ultimate survival and recognize the truth that his survival is closely linked with survival of other living creatures and protection of Nature.

Ref :  Atlantis -- An imaginary place mentioned in Plato's dialogues "Timaeus" and "Critias" where once a highly advanced civilization existed. But the inhabitants of that place became greedy and morally corrupt. The  gods became  angry and destroyed the kingdom for the people had lost their way and turned to immoral pursuits. This island kingdom sank into the ocean around 9600 B.C.

        New Atlantis -- A Utopian novel published by Sir Francis Bacon in 1627 after bacon's death in 1626. This book describes a Utopian world  where people lived ideal,peaceful, enlightened lives.

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