(A poem from the book Dwelling in Dissonance)

Dream world

privileged world

everything ok world

people carrying on obliviously

with what they call normal life

in their urban utopia

Under the surface

behind the facade

growing anger burning

disadvantaged darkness oozing

grabbling fingers

poking

groping

through misty barriers

Until the two become one.

A survey compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research released figures at the end of April that indicate that South Africa’s consumer confidence figures have changed radically this year, compared to the end of last year. People are feeling more confident and spending more money. The reasons are probably self-evident…but it made me think about what was actually being measured. Money can only be spent by those who have – the privileged. So this means the privileged are feeling more positive about the future. What has changed over the last few months for the disadvantaged? I recognise that I also am privileged…How does the continuing plight of the disadvantaged involve me? What can I do to make the union of these two so separate worlds a peaceful one?

(Being challenged by some articles on https://www.facebook.com/CommonChange/)