'western futility' by ab
 
print on paper 
A3 size frame
 
'western futility' is a poem written by Aliesha Bannister. It's printed on 200gsm mixed media (textured) paper, and mounted in a brushed gold style frame. The frame can be wall hung.
 
Poem reads:
 
we think we’re so smart and advanced
with our technology
academia 
and industry
living to earn money
for bigger and better things
a big house
luxury cars
more clothes 
more jewels
fancy holidays, with cocktails
and food and waitstaff
and expensive aesthetic outfits
posing and posting for the ‘gram
to show how well we’re all doing,
to show how much we’re winning at this western dreamscape. 
 
we quite specifically choose not to see the faces 
of the beautiful people pressed
into the dirt of their lands 
so we can ‘live this way’
oh, so clever we are
we’ve taken land, lives, children, resources
we’ve poisoned the waterways and air
stripped the soil
and destroyed forests 
which housed trees, plants, medicine and animals.
how could we think we’re better 
than all these other things on Earth 
that also birth, grow, evolve and live?
we’re not better than anything. 
in fact, 
we’re the ones who need saving.
our souls and instincts
sold for the illusion of supremacy. 
what a joke
what a great big pathetic lie we live.
when it comes down to it,
when the lights go out
and the music stops playing,
and the sparkle starts to dim…
 
[sigh]
 
it’s a hard pill to swallow 
as the saddest thing is, it’s all for nothing. 
deep hurt and sadness
everywhere
fear, loss, abandonment, depression, disconnect, anxiety
a constant sense of low-grade panic.
deep down we dread our lives
because the story lain in our subconscious is one of mistrust
and not-enough-ness
 
this is the gift this way of life gives us.
this is what we stole and killed for. 
 
 
ab.