Then Night Came

The sun did rise;
Its golden pallor brightening the land,
giving heat and light to the pristine earth,
lush vegetation, rich soil, and pure sand,
our planet glowing with life at its birth,
wondrous creatures, some great and some small,
spreading across the expanse that was fair,
uncounted plant life, some short and some tall,
supplied the needs of creatures, ground and air,
then night came.

The sun did rise;
the eye that gazed saw a two-legged man,
staring grateful at this wondrous orb,
its heat and its light he did understand,
felt good on the skin, its warmth to absorb,
the tilling of crops to store for the cold,
with the sun he worked from dawn into night,
the raising of flocks to keep in the fold,
against the coming of the winter fright,
then night came.

The sun did rise;
Plumes of soot and dust rose into the air,
death's foul chemicals had no place to go,
the greedy man fought for more than his share,
to take hold of all riches was his goal,
putting his brothers neck under his heel,
to rise up to the ultimate power,
no remorse or pity did this one feel,
to sit atop that Babelic tower,
then night came.

The sun did rise;
Decay and stench rose up upon the land,
buildings and structures crumbling into heaps,
a smoldering waste the dying wind fanned,
carrion and rats were filled with their feast,
a hazy dark cloud did cover all things,
the green that was there now turned into brown,
no longer were humans able to sing,
the earth was dying not making a sound,
then night came.