life in the tropics

we cannot hope for brotherhood or trust
one man is always at his neighbour's throat
women will fight over a meal or coat
and honesty is left out in the dust
what was once love turns out to be a bust
our future leader yet another goat
and happiness is getting on the boat
while right behind us one's killed for a crust
this is the world we thought was paradise
and so we ate the lotus and lay down
only to find what i now have to tell
that everything is valued at a price
the would-be hero is just one more clown
and we have made ourselves a living hell