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Fighter Jets above Apartment Buildings

angl24

00:00 / 05:01

HOLES: CHAPTER ELEVEN
MEETING WITH THE POWERS OF DEATH
AND THE ASCENT TO HEAVEN

Death on a Pale Horse

After I had moved into my apartment in the El Dorado District, I discovered that airplanes flew directly above my apartment building on a regular basis. Almost every day, fighter jets, like monsters, ripped through the air, the reverberations rattling the windows and walls. I wondered why the government had allowed the military to terrorize the population practically every day as the jets headed out--no doubt to fire missiles at another population in some distant land. "You'd think they would find some way to minimize the debilitating noise, given how much taxpayers spend on the military in this realm," I muttered to myself. Almost every time the monsters flew over, I wondered if a few anonymous people in some bunker somewhere had finally decided to blow up the planet, so occasionally as the jets flew over, I would have a vision of Death on a pale horse riding through the land.

Death in a Field of Lupine and Poppies

Tired of my thoughts about death, I headed out to the foothills, where I found a hillside blanketed by lupine and poppies. I saw a goat running through the flowers, which reminded me of the God Pan. Suddenly the figure of Death appeared beside the goat.
"Without death, the powers of life could not manifest in so many diverse ways. Stasis would rule the physical plane, and no spiritual or mental or emotional growth would be possible. The process of death is often horrible for human beings, but death is a friend during your spiritual evolution. Your soul survives, and because of death, your soul has innumerable experiences through many incarnations, some surprisingly appalling and some indescribably beautiful."

Court Jester as Death

After I returned home, I planted many flowers in the courtyard of my apartment complex. I painted my face and hands so that I looked like a skeleton. Then I dressed like a court jester, and every time the fighter planes flew over, I stepped out into the courtyard and stood among the flowers.

The High Priestess

One afternoon, I discovered a temple a few miles away. After I entered the temple, the High Priestess gazed at me and stated, "You are vexed by your mortality. I will reveal to you now the 'ascent to heaven.'"

Moon Goddess representing The Foundation

"Meet the Goddess of the Moon in the Emanation on the Tree of Life known as The Foundation. She is the Holy Spirit who reveals through archetypal symbols the spiritual energies and principles behind physical manifestation. For instance, if you have a vision of a golden equal-armed cross during ritual or meditation, she is showing you the subtle spiritual energies of the Sun in symbolic archetypal form, and if everything then dissolves into light, the symbol is helping your soul rise toward the Emanation of the Sun known as Beauty, associated with the Son of the trinity. And if then you feel a profound sense of oneness, you are rising toward The Crown, the Source of all Creation."
I suddenly had a vision of the Moon Goddess. She greeted me joyfully. Somehow, I already seemed to know her.

Mercury in Splendor

The High Priestess continued, "Mercury in the Emanation of Splendor serves as a messenger of the Gods, and he rules over wealth, good fortune, commerce, fertility, and thievery. He is the God of truth, but he can be a trickster, for the opposite of truth is deception. Each Emanation on the Tree of Life contains a virtue and a vice. You cannot continue your ascent to heaven without whole-heartedly embracing truth, but you must also use your intellect to distinguish between truth and lies, for a lie in this realm often seems like the truth.
"Mercury serves in another way. The intellect can create forms in the imagination that ensoul spiritual forces. Human beings throughout history have created forms of Gods and Goddesses in this way to reveal the powerful subtle spiritual forces to the human imagination in this realm. In this way, Mercury enables people to experience the splendor of the dimensions of Universal Consciousness and to manifest splendor in their own sphere of influence."

Venus in Victory

For a moment, I felt the subtle forces described by the High Priestess. She continued, "Venus encompasses so much that is essential to life: love, beauty, art, desire, fertility, prosperity, and victory. In the Emanation of Victory, she holds up a prism to The Sun so that we can know and experience the diversity of the subtle spiritual forces within manifestation. She reveals the victory of the One manifesting as the Many in nature and reveals the glory of the Many within the One. In that way she represents the marriage of heaven and earth.
"The subtle spiritual forces revealed by Venus are the roots of the Magical Triangle on the Tree of Life, which includes Mercury and The Moon. Human consciousness in the Emanation of Mercury--known as Splendor (which in cosmic evolution emanated from the subtle forces of Victory) has personified the qualities of the spiritual forces throughout history as archetypes, and in the Emanation of the Moon they appear in the imagination as Gods and Goddesses for people to love and worship."

Apollo in Beauty

"Apollo is a Sun God associated with harmony: with music and poetry, truth and prophecy, healing and light. Apollo represents the Emanation of Beauty, the center of equilibrium on the Tree of Life. The Sun is the source of all life on earth, and all ecosystems on the earth manifest through time in harmony and balance, in ravishing splendor and just proportion. Through Apollo, we know that Universal Consciousness manifests in harmony and balance throughout the cosmos. Death is part of that balance. The soul, containing the Tree of Life with subtle energies that we have personified as the Gods, survives death. Human beings can manifest that harmony and balance in their own personal lives in the physical realm through love and music and poetry and art and healing and harmony and enlightenment."

Dionysus in Beauty

"Dionysus is another god associated with the Emanation of The Sun. He is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, and ecstasy. Wine eases suffering, brings joy, and can cause divine madness, but symbolically it also represents the spiritual inebriation of Beauty, the sixth Emanation of the Tree of Life. Moreover, the religion of Dionysus often included rituals involving the sacrifice of goats or bulls. Dionysus died at the hands of the Titans, who cut up his body and ate it. Dionysus is a sacrificial god, and both Jesus and Dionysus, after their sacrifice, ascended to heaven where they joined their Fathers.

Jesus in Beauty

Jesus in many ways combines the qualities of both Apollo and Dionysus. He is a savior who dies for the people by taking upon himself the darkness of the collective consciousness of humanity and neutralizing the negativity with harmonizing love to create balance. As a savior figure who represents the Emanation of Beauty, he is the Son who shows us the Father--through the Son, we can rise into union with the Source. Like the wine of Dionysus, his harmonizing love induces spiritual inebriation so that in this realm we can open our hearts and minds to ascend to heaven even while we tabernacle in the flesh. His resurrection reminds us of the greater life.

Mars in Power

"Mars is the great protector of civilization. He is the god of war, always on the side of the righteous--who are usually the underdogs. He is a fiery God associated with the Emanation of Power, and he is known for his strength and discipline and courage in the pursuit of justice and harmony. His force at times might seem disruptive or intimidating or threatening, but he is essentially the God on the Pillar of Severity who limits unbalanced force based on strong ethical principles, and with his power, he maintains order within civilization. Mars blasts you with his lightning bolt so that you suddenly see the light. He checks negative behaviors and overturns destructive forces within society for the highest possible good."

Jupiter in Mercy

The High Priestess continued, "Jupiter is the King of the Gods. The subtle spiritual forces of Jupiter are the roots of the ethical triangle on the Tree of Life, a triangle that also includes Mars and The Sun. He is the great up-builder of civilizations maintained by law and order, and he provides many people with the vision to build up a community or society in a harmonious and sustainable way. Jupiter's influence has enabled people to create and maintain orderly and majestic societies throughout history. He is the God on the Pillar of Mercy who reveals the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of Universal Consciousness manifesting in the human spirit and the world."

Saturn in Understanding

For a moment, I felt that magnificence as the High Priestess continued, "You now are crossing the Abyss and entering the first of the three Supernal Emanations, which exist inside of you as the core of your being that connects directly with Universal Consciousness. The previous six Emanations, from The Moon to Jupiter, contain the energies of the soul, also known as the higher self or Evolutionary Individuality. In the third Emanation, known as "Understanding," Saturn is a God associated with agriculture, wealth, and time. He is often depicted as an old man who holds a sickle or scythe. Saturn is also closely linked to the concept of the 'Golden Age,' a period of great prosperity and peace. The subtle forces of Saturn exist at the top of the Pillar of Severity. Saturn is a powerful God who limits free-flowing force in form so that the physical realm can exist. Saturn in the our realm is the great disciplinarian who presents us with challenging lessons and spurs us to achieve difficult goals."

The Virgin Mary in Understanding

I remembered how disciplined I had to become in order to succeed as a knight in the Tarot Realm. The High Priestess continued, "Mother Mary represents compassion and God's indwelling presence in the world. Through her, we know that God has a female face. She is the Celestial Mother in the Emanation of Understanding. Saturn is the god of time in the same Emanation who ushers the bitterness of suffering and death into the physical realm, but Mary is a goddess of sympathy and compassion who experiences the immaculate conception of Jesus, the Son within the trinity. People experience great sorrow in our realm and sometimes identify with her sorrow for her crucified son, who in his time on earth embodied the harmonizing love and sacrifice associated with The Sun and the Emanation of Beauty."

Celestial City in Wisdom

I felt sorrow for a moment as the High Priestess spoke, "Imagine now a celestial city in the heavens in the second Emanation, known as Wisdom. Souls who have experienced the many powerful subtle forces of the Tree of Life reside there for a time before experiencing union with Universal Consciousness."

Gods and Goddesses on the Tree of Life

I imagined a celestial city for a moment. Then the High Priestess pointed to an image on the wall and exclaimed, "Here is your map for the ascent to heaven. Behold the Gods and Goddesses on the sacred Tree of Life!"

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Jester in the Rain

big24

00:00 / 04:16

HOLES: CHAPTER TWELVE
SELF-SACRIFICE
AND THE JUSTICE OF HEAVEN

Eight of Swords: Jupiter in Gemini

As I was strolling through the rain, I came upon a homeless person in a wet blanket. I pulled out my wallet and handed the man two dollars. As I continued rambling down the sidewalk, I suddenly felt like gold coins were falling all around me.
I remembered that back in the Tarot realm, I had encountered a blindfolded and loosely bound woman who was surrounded by eight swords as the tide was rising, and suddenly, I felt like I knew how she must have felt. I had to work two gigs to pay for rent and food, and the price of necessities just kept rising, but my inadequate wages remained stagnant. I had no job security, no benefits, no assured income, yet I had to pay for car insurance and car maintenance because an effective mass transit system didn't exist. I paid for health insurance as the health insurance companies continued to deny claims and bankrupt half a million people a year. No doubt the billionaires believed that a universal health care system would be inimical to raw capitalism because a healthy population might rise up against an economic system that exploits and exhausts people and resources. Most of the government's discretionary spending flowed generously to the military-industrial complex--for unjustifiable wars and proxy wars and covert wars. The billionaires managed to keep their vast fortunes instead of paying taxes that might benefit the masses--the super-rich elites kept the politicians in their back pockets, and the politicians and the media, owned by the super-rich, kept causing divisiveness to keep the people angry and confused about their condition and about the unequal distribution of wealth and climate disruption and perpetual war, yada, yada. Instead of remaining a knight, I had become a wage slave, and by the end of the month, I had to go into debt just to get by. To top it off, I felt like I was to blame for my miserable condition. Some days, I would long for the Tarot Realm.

Six of Pentacles: Moon in Taurus

Then I remembered how in the Tarot Realm a rich man had donated money to destitute people with his right hand while holding balancing scales in his left. I had been confused for a moment by the scales, but then I realized that the generous man was not only helping out the poor--he was practicing a form of sacrifice to bring greater harmony and balance to the community. Even in the Tarot Realm, change remains the only constant and societies change like the phases of the moon. The generous man must have realized that through all the flux we need to help each other to remain balanced and stable as a community.

Six of Swords: Mercury in Aquarius

I thought of other acts of giving in the Tarot Realm, from small acts of kindness to great acts of sacrifice. Once, while I was exploring the Tarot Realm, I had noticed a man poling a boat, with a woman and child as his passengers, across a lake to a distant shore. As if I were having a vision, I thought I saw six swords standing straight up and down in the bow of the boat, which seemed to signal that the man was aiding the woman and child through a difficulty of some kind or helping them escape some danger. The man was so skilled and balanced that the boat continued to move calmly and smoothly across the water, slowly but surely. The man's composure suggested that he had calmly handled dangers and difficulties before, which was a sign that he was skillful and far-seeing and careful and that he had performed more than a few acts of courage and sacrifice.

Ten of Wands: Saturn in Sagittarius

Then I remembered a man carrying ten wands in a fan-like formation. The man was stooped under his burden, and the wands almost seemed to imprison him, but he lumbered forward with great discipline and determination as if he had some fire within that enabled him to complete even the most difficult task. He was carrying his burden toward a distant house, which suggested that he was performing this act of sacrifice for others, not just for himself. Work was often a kind of sacrifice, I realized then, and it sometimes helped to prepare the mind and body for even greater challenges and sacrifices.

Eight of Pentacles: Sun in Virgo

As I continued strolling down the street, I remembered a man near the castle laboring to create golden pentacles. Each glowing pentacle symbolized the harmony of the elements of Earth, Spirit, Fire, Air, and Water, and each element represented the triplicities of the zodiac signs and their ruling planets--in other words, all of the subtle forces represented by the Tree of Life. The man was laboring alone to create symbols of external and internal harmony for the community, which struck me at the time as a lonely but beautiful sacrifice.

Three of Pentacles: Mars in Capricorn

Then I remembered three men working together inside of a cathedral. One man was a monk, a visionary who could see symbols of harmony in the spirit realm. An architect, who worked on the mental level to create the plans for the building, stood beside the monk, and a mason manifested the symbolic structures in concrete form. Together, they labored to create a magnificent edifice representing the harmony of the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical planes, an edifice that would take many years to complete, but which would last for many hundreds of years--an inspiring collaborative act of sacrifice.

Five of Swords: Venus in Aquarius

As I continued my excursion through the city, I remembered a warrior in the Tarot Realm who had disarmed two men that had ambushed him. The warrior allowed the two men to slouch away. The warror's decisive act of de-escalation had impressed me. The warrior had quickly neutralized hostilities, and the warrior's prowess had suggested that he had worked long and hard to develop skill and discipline and had also developed the ability to neutralize negativity in times of crisis and conflict. The warrior didn't crow or puff himself up. He simply picked up the swords and walked away, which greatly impressed me. The warrior's sacrifice to develop discipline and skill had paid off.

Seven of Wands: Mars in Leo

Then I remembered a warrior who had taken on six other soldiers by himself. He showed great strength and courage and didn't hesitate to protect his homeland from forces that were attempting to steal the resources and enslave the people. The warrior, against great odds, had unhesitatingly put his life on the line for his community and his realm. I had admired the warrior's willingness to sacrifice himself for a greater cause. Fortunately, the warrior had developed the strength and skill to fight off the other soldiers, a type of strength and skill that had required great discipline and sacrifice.

Eight of Cups: Saturn in Pisces

Then I remembered a knight who had left the castle to develop other aspects of himself. The knight had spiritual aspirations and had convinced the king and queen that he could serve the realm as a holy man. I remembered that the king and queen had smiled as they had granted his request. I had watched the knight ascend the mountain alone in the moonlight, and I realized that it took a lot of courage and discipline to abandon success and strive for a greater life. The knight was demonstrating an admirable form of sacrifice for a greater good.

The Hanged Man: Water

Then I remembered a man who had been hung upside down in the town square. The man had spoken truth to power and was being treated as a traitor. I thought I could see a halo around the man's head. The man, even in a moment of great crisis, seemed to have the ability to suspend his consciousness to connect with powerful spiritual forces, and the man was able, even during his own sacrifice, to reveal the gold of the spirit. The man was not afraid of being treated as a despicable outcast and a traitor to the realm. I had felt great sorrow for the hanged man, who through his act of sacrifice was forcing others to examine their beliefs and spiritual values.

Ten of Swords: The Sun in Gemini

Finally, I remembered a man lying face down with ten swords in his back. Apparently a group of men had orchestrated and carried out the attack. I was surprised that the man's right hand in death had formed a gesture of blessing--as if he had forgiven his attackers as he died. I did not know the man, and I had no idea why the man was killed, but the sun began to shine through dark clouds as if the man had been targeted for insisting on spiritual values--for in the Tarot Realm The Sun represented the higher self. In the Tarot Realm, such a synchronicity was possible. No matter what had caused the man's ruin, I had suddenly felt great sympathy for him.

Justice at the Apartment Complex

As I entered the courtyard in my apartment complex, I encountered a woman wearing a crown in a worn out dress who held a sword straight up and down.
The woman unexpectedly muttered, "Forgive my appearance, but maintaining justice and harmony in this realm is not as easy as you might believe."

Justice: Libra

I replied, "In the Tarot Realm, Justice was dressed lavishly as a queen, and she held golden scales in her left hand as she sat on a throne, but like you, she did not wear a blindfold, for justice sees all. Your task here is more difficult and less respected than the work of justice in the Tarot Realm."

The Tower: Mars

The woman replied, "Unfortunately, justice in this realm can be slow and uneven, but many people here don't seem to understand that justice can hit like lightning when you least expect it. Sooner or later, karma catches up with you, even in this realm."

Six of Wands: Jupiter in Leo

I replied, "I remember a great knight in the Tarot Realm who brought many people to justice. We called him 'Lord of Victory.' He demonstrated that he could act for the highest good in every circumstance. He commanded respect wherever he went. He manifested the magnificence of Jupiter and revealed the 'other self,' the higher self, to everyone around him. Even in this realm, I think, some people can manage to live like him."

The Lovers: Gemini

"Yes," the woman replied. "In this realm, people like him might live in a run-down part of town, but they know the justice of heaven. They might deal with many types of conflict, but they know their divine core and live from their higher self and know the holiness of all energy and the divinity of all life, so in a way they have regained paradise in spite of their external circumstances."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Pan

smll24

00:00 / 05:07

HOLES: CHAPTER THIRTEEN
MEETING WITH THE POWERS OF LIFE
AND THE WAR AT THE WORLD'S END

The Fool

After I moved into an apartment in the El Dorado District, I found a carving that resembled the face of the God Pan. When I saw the face, I remembered the many times that I had met the powers of life in the Tarot Realm. Unfortunately, I had not yet experienced the subtle powers of life in his homeland. Fortunately, it was spring, and I had a day off, so I decided to go hiking.
I was tired of wearing armor, especially since no one in the El Dorado District considered me a knight. Instead, I wore the costume of a court jester so that I could be a fool for the day as I hiked by myself through the forest.

Pink Fairy Lanterns

I found many flowers along a trail in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but I eventually discovered a flower that he'd never encountered when he had resided in the Tarot Realm: pink fairy lanterns.

Pink Fairy Lantern Faery

As I gazed at the pink flowers, I envisioned an angel who showed great reverence for the flowers.

Chinese Purple Houses

Then I found Chinese Purple Houses. I remembered that as a child my parents had taken me to the foothills one day. On the way home, I had confessed to my parents that of all the flowers I had seen that day, my favorite flower was Chinese Purple Houses, and they had agreed that it was one of their favorite flowers as well.

Goddess with Purple Flowers

As I was experiencing my childhood memory, I had a vision of the Goddess Isis spreading her rainbow wings as she stood within an array of purple flowers.

Goat in Poppies and Lupine

After finding the Chinese Purple Houses, I climbed higher up the hill. At the top he encountered a goat running through poppies and lupine flowers. I could tell that the goat was feeling great joy and vitality.

Pan Standing in Poppies and Lupine

Soon after, I had a vision of the God Pan standing amidst the poppies and lupine. The God was emanating the power and vitality and freshness that permeates the natural world.

Ithuriel's Spears (also known as Wally Baskets or Grass Nuts)

As I climbed higher, I came upon a field of lavender flowers. I remembered again the trip with my parents to the mountains. My mother had told me that the name of the flower was Ithuriel's Spears, but it was also known as Wally baskets or grass nuts. My mother had confessed that Walley Baskets was her favorite name because it was more cute and down to earth than "Ithuriel's Spears."

The Goat God as Fool

As I remembered that day in the mountains so long ago, I had another vision of the goat God Pan, but this time he was dressed as a Fool.
The God spoke, "Many believe that the Fool suffers from divine madness as he experiences the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. I know all the dimensions of Universal Consciousness, and I feel no shame being the Fool, and neither should you as you continue on your journey, my friend."

Indian Pinks

I then found bright Indian Pinks. I knew that Native Americans had lived for many thousands of years in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, and I realized that the trail was probably many thousands of years old, kept distinct by cattle and other animals.

An Angel among Red Flowers

As I gazed at the pinks, I had a vision of an angel, possibly the spirit of the red flowers that have bloomed in the mountains for innumerable years. Perhaps over thousands of years, Native Americans had personified the nature spirit of the flowers as a young girl with wings.

A Native American Pounding Stone near Friant-Kern Canal

Then I remembered that my father on our trip into the mountains had unexpectedly stopped the car near a canal. "This canal diverts almost all of the water from the San Joaquin River, one of the most abused rivers in the nation." Then my father had guided me over to the pounding stone. I asked my father if people had built the road right through the village site so that the Native Americans wouldn't come back. My father had nodded. "No doubt," he had replied.

Venus Upset

As I remembered the pounding stone, I had a vision of the Goddess Venus in a field of wheat. She seemed upset.
"All the people of this earth can experience abundance and harmony and the magnificence of the human spirit, yet the powerful insist on war for their own personal profit. They are laying waste to the land and are using terrible weapons on innocent people. They have started yet another war that could end up being the war at the world's end!"

War

I had a vision of war consuming the entire world and destroying all the flowers and trees and forcing all of the powers of life to return to the bosom of nature.

The War at the World's End

I knew that my homeland was already being destroyed by wildfires and tornadoes and hurricanes, and I suddenly knew that the problem existed within people, not outside of them. War and the destruction of the natural world was a manifestation of internal conflict, a spiritual problem.

Isis with Tiger Lilies

Suddenly I found tiger lilies along a creek, and I had a vision of the Goddess Isis standing in the flowers.
"If humanity destroys its own civilization, the subtle powers of life will remain. The flowers and trees and animals will return," the Goddess insisted.

Venus in a Wheat Field

Then I had another vision of the Goddess Venus in a wheat field. This time she was holding up a golden scepter. She seemed to be revealing that love rules all.
"You can truly love others when you know in your heart that all energy is holy and all people are divine," she claimed.

Forest Angel

I hiked through a forest that a fire had recently incinerated. Everything seemed dead. All of the vegetation on the forest floor had turned to ashes. I knew that nearby wildfires had recently reduced the forest there into a desert of dirt and ash. An angel suddenly appeared among the burned trees.
"After the fire, this part of the forest seemed wiped out, totally dead, but I helped it to recover. If you maintain reverence for the subtle powers of life, you will have reverence for all of nature and for humanity--the forest won't turn to dirt and ash and humanity won't disappear from the planet," she stated.

Isis Amongst Flowers

I suddenly envisioned Isis in an array of wildflowers with a rainbow above her head as she spread her wings.

Strolling Home through a Field of Flowers

As a former knight in the Tarot Realm, I had grown sick of war. As I returned home on the trail, I was glad that I had been a Fool for a day as I met with the powers of life.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Strolling through Candy Land

mrch24

00:00 / 04:18

HOLES: CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE VICE OF SATURN

Rich Man in Candy Land

One night, I fell asleep feeling ill and vulnerable, but I dreamed of strolling through Candy Land.
A rich man paraded on the path ahead of me. Impressed, I decided to follow him.

Mammon

The Candy Land Trail led to Mammon, who was sitting on a throne like a king or a god.
"Greed is good! Greed is awesome!" Mammon proclaimed. "The path of Mammon leads to mountains of money!"

Rich Man on the Golden Path

I noticed another rich man on Mammon's golden trail. He carried booze in one hand and candy in the other. Since the rich man seemed so elegant and suave, I decided to follow him.

Standing on a Pile of Money

The rich man climbed a pile of money and gazed down upon on me. He seemed so distant, so dominant, and so powerful that I was afraid to approach him.

The God Saturn

Alone, I continued following the trail and eventually found the ocean, where I discovered the God Saturn on a golden throne. Suddenly Saturn spoke, "Greed is the vice associated with the third Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Understanding. Some people fear suffering and uncertainty and poverty so much that they accumulate vast mountains of wealth, and they strut about like peacocks while others literally starve to death. The virtue of the Emanation of Understanding is silence, which enables the mind to touch the dimensions of Universal Consciousness and develop compassion for all life. Greed is the opposite of compassion."

Swimming in Money

Saturn suddenly fell silent. Waves crashed on the shore. I gazed at the ocean and imagined a shark swimming in money.

Real Estate

Saturn continued, "Some rich men sit on a throne of money as they collect fees--or rents from struggling tenants who can barely make ends meet."

Drugs and Alcohol

"Some rich men sell addictive drugs or alcohol to make their money. People overdose and die due to their products."

Guns

"Some people sell guns to make a pile of money. They don't mind if unhinged people buy the guns and kill innocent men, women, and children. Many people end up shooting themselves."

Weapons of War

"Some rich people make weapons of war, and to stay in business they must always have war or the threat of war. The greedy warmongers buy off the politicians, who then maintain a state of perpetual warfare, which the citizens pay for with their tax dollars--whether they like it or not."

King Midas

Saturn continued, "I'm sure you have heard the story of King Midas. Everything he touched turned to gold."

Golden Daughter

"One day he touched his daughter, and she turned into pure gold. Perhaps you should let that be a lesson to you, my friend."

On the Street

I thanked Saturn and hiked back to the El Dorado District, where I found homeless people on the street.

Hungry Child

I found some food for a hungry child.

Trail of Skeletons

I noticed another rich man on Mammon's trail of gold. Before I could even ask the rich man a question, the rich man came upon skeletons on both sides of the trail. The man just kept strolling towards a pile of money.

Vultures Hovering

The rich man, however, did not find a pile of money, only a pile of bones. The rich man searched frantically for his money and finally plopped down on the ground. He looked around and noticed people hovering nearby like vultures.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

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