MECCA
a poem about commercialism in modern society
by Jennifer Mosher
It’s Saturday
family day
and time to pay.
The masses come
flooding in
as the doors open.
The big, the small
the young, the old
jostling
heading to their preferred spots
where they will spend the next few hours
in earnest devotion.
This temple
with its shiny floors
so beautifully decorated
built so the disciples
can honour their god
Mr Lowy.
Yes, it’s Saturday
and Westfield opens
for another day.
This poem was written with all due respect to Mr Lowy. I do acknowledge that he has created jobs for thousands, if not millions, across the world with his Westfield shopping centres.
It was borne out of my frustration with modern society and its spend, spend, spend attitude around Christmas time. The irony is, I’m not a Christian, yet I believe Christmas has lost all meaning and should be given back to the Christians. It’s been hijacked by modern commercialism. When the news reports in late October start with ‘Retailers are hoping for a bumper year this Christmas to make up for low sales revenue during the year’, then to me, there’s something wrong with the society we’re living in. Rant over.