Sunday 23 May 2010

Britain is no country for old men today but might it possibly be one for its future old men of tommorrow ?

'Palindrome' is a word from Ancient Greece made from 2 words 'palin' meaning 'again' and 'drom' meaning 'run'. The words 'madam' and 'radar' are palindromic words because they read the same forwards and backwards.

This ingenious palindromic poem was written by Jonathan Reed a 20 something student at Colombia College in Chichago. Entitled 'Lost Generation', read it forwards and it is a depressing contemplation of his future at 50 in 30 years, but read backwards and it is uplifting.

Is equally applicable on this side of the Atlantic as Jonathan thinks it is in the USA ?

I am part of a lost generation
and I refuse to believe that
I can change the world.
I realize this may be a shock, but
“Happiness comes from within”
is a lie, and
“Money will make me happy”.

So in 30 years I will tell my children
they are not the most important thing in my life.
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
work
is more important than
family.
I tell you this.
Once upon a time,
Families stayed together
but this will not be true in my era.
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce.
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making
In the future
Environmental destruction will be the norm.
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this earth.
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope.
And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it.

http://bolstablog.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/palindromes/

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