The Ministry of Loneliness

Britain has set up a Ministry of Loneliness;
No, not like the U. S., where televangelists
Peddle God's love like some magic panacea
For companionship, a pet rock for the soul;
Cold comfort, an empty promise,
A sorry substitute for the  loving reciprocity 
of touch, of warmth, desire and connection
That so many of us desperately crave;
A shakedown for dollars, basically.

No, this is an actual political department,
A ministry set up to seek out and offer help
To “All the lonely people,”  
The Eleanor Rigbys of the world.
Maybe the statisticians can discover
“Where do they all come from”
And find a cure for their affliction.

The irony is that as our population grows
We  become more infected with loneliness.
Isolation spreads like an epidemic as we
Take refuge behind our computer screens,
Hoping that internet pimps such as Our Time,
Match, Farmers Only or E-Harmony.com
Can set us up with a soul-mate,
A chimerical promise that at best suggests

Two halves unlikely ever to become a whole,
Not being able to meld into a couple where
Each brings unique strengths and weaknesses
To a relationship, and through bonding
Their differences, become stronger united.

 Loneliness leaves one hollow, empty to the core.
An existence that's a prison cell, a dark cavern,
An impenetrable jungle or wind whipped desolation,
Even the bustling anonymity of a city
Becomes solitary confinement if one has no one
To talk to, to interact with, to go home to.
it's so sad to see so many yearning for love
In a world of people who are just as lonely.

There are people out there who need love,
Companionship, friendship, or even a kind word,
As much as you may need theirs.
Sure, a Ministry of Love is a nice gesture, a start,
But an effort doomed to failure until the lonely learn
That to be loved they must be ready to offer love.
One opens oneself to rejection, certainly,
 Opening one's heart leaves one vulnerable,
It may lead to heartache and pain
 It could possibly lead though to a lasting love,
A collaboration of two hearts, two minds, two souls
That will be the salvation of them both.