Insightful Limericks about Modernity

When you look at the arch of human history, it’s a bit perplexing to see where we are today after so many millennia of physical and cultural evolution. The modern world has given us enough computational power to solve the greatest riddles of physics and engineering, and the ability to synthesize sentient consciousness.

At the same time we are still equipped with the same brains used by our Stone Age ancestors. No wonder so many of us wander the streets and hallways with crooked posture, hunched over the hypnotic screens of our numb-numbing devices. I have to wonder if it’s not all part of some cruel joke we’ve played upon ourselves.

Perhaps that’s why I’ve written so many limericks about modernity and the conundrum of 21st century humanity. From the astronomically hopeful to the utterly despondent, my feelings run the gamut. So come along with me on this roller coaster of poetic reflection.

     The Dawning of the Age
     The Axial Age of our modern millennium
     Spirits in bloom like a budding geranium
             Nourish your roots
             As ethereal fruits
     Come flowering forth from my quivering cranium

     Cyber Evangelism
     All faith groups are worthy of careful assessment
     Some that I’ve seen have achieved an advancement
             But now I watch Ted Talks
             And scroll through my inbox
     Here’s one from the Buddhists, it has no attachment

     Modern Day Miracles
     Reliance on science has made the earth hotter
     And stripped all the vestments from Saint Harry Potter
             Removing the magic
             Exalting the tragic
     They’ve managed to turn all the wine back to water

     Decline of the West
     Our standard of living has never been higher
     You call it success and I call you a liar
             Just look what’s in store
             And you’ll always want more
     When you’re stuck in a state of relentless desire

     Man’s Curse
     With Darwinian logic I’m less than content
     The time has arrived to express my dissent
             If our great human race
             Belongs in first place
     Then why only we are condemned to pay rent?

     Working Class Heroes
     Some people in power push pencils for pleasure
     Painfully pinching the portions they measure
             Pinheads and corporates
             And polythene portraits
     Pretending to prosper, impeded by pressure

     Dream On
     The American myth: turning rags into riches
     The common man dreams of a life more prestigious
             Resurrecting the dead
             Making gold out of lead
     The various forms of the highly religious

     The Spirit Under Siege
     Hermits and searchers are beaten and battered
     See how the scientist Tyson gets flattered
             Praise the molecular
             Worship the secular
     Who can remember when Taoist Lives Mattered?

     Digital Demise
     I come from a circle of Matthews and Mikes
     Grew up with Chewbacca, MacGyver and bikes
             But the ones and the zeros
             Supplanted my heroes
     My life is now measured by comments and likes

Further Reading

If you liked these limericks about modernity, you’ll be sure to enjoy:

• Limericks about Taoism
• Limericks about Challenges and Obstacles
• Limericks about the Apocalypse
• What is a limerick?