casting ominous shadows beneath an ever-pinkening sky

so the battle lines are drawn

and the protagonists determinedly take their places

facing off with brutal expressions of intent

the people passionate about all things cat

are huddled together, talking strategy

ready to throw absolutely everything they have

at the mass of bodies and faces across from them

collectively known as those with a deep care for the environment

who compile and distribute petitions at will

and boycott companies who dare not be green enough

those who care so deeply about the children being sold into slavery

prepare for combat by sharpening the axes they brought to grind

every now and then pausing for a moment

to peer over the tops of their spectacles at their opposition

the-artists-with-a-tendency-of-posting-graphic-pictures-of-horribly-slaughtered-poached-animals

on your social media wall

nestled safely in between baby photos and engagement announcements

at some point someone fires a gun…
or perhaps it was a whistle?

i’m thinking some form of signal was possibly given

to launch the different groups screaming like rabid dogs at one another

and begin tearing each other apart

[the people who care about dogs suffering from the effects of rabies are at the judges table

loudly arguing about the insensitivity of using such a descriptive phrase]

turns out the ‘tearing’ was metaphorical

or virtual or something

but tearing was done

or at the very least, insinuated

as one group with a cause

sized up another group “with a cause”

[“but not as important as our cause” each whispered in hushed tones]

[only amongst themselves of course]

the fall out

that inevitably ensued

was that “your worthy cause isn’t as worthy as my worthy cause

your guilt is too hip

and you clearly don’t speak for everyone, so your perspective is meaningless”

in the midst of all the uproar,

the accusations and the posturings,

the video clips and the event sharings

not to mention time out for the trolling of the comments sections [a group event]

the clouds gathered

the sky opened

the rain came down

and washed them all away

[or at the very least sent them scurrying back to the safety of their computer keyboards]

and a lone child was left standing

making the most of some unsupervised time in the mud and puddles that had formed

when suddenly a moment of significance passed

in which an idea seemed to swoop in from far up high in the sky

and lodge itself deep into the brain part of this innocent

who paused for a whole long sixty second minute

as she sought to take it in

looked up

and exclaimed, as if the most natural exclamation in the world,

“What if, I was able to view your cause as different to mine, but of equal value and importance?”

it was as if a mighty thunderbolt had struck at that precise moment

causing an immediate wave of

lightbulb after lightbulb blinking into existence

as each and every individual in the crowd

marvelled at this ingenious yet ever-so-simple piece of wisdom

or at least, it would have

had any of them remained.

but alas, there was no-one else to be seen.

as the activists and fanatics,

the poster wavers and the bearers of truth,

all those who championed a cause

at the exclusion of all others

were safely locked away

in the comfort of their lonely rooms

readying their next missive,

this one which would be the one

that would finally get them to realise why they need to climb on board…