“Our house is on fire, and our children are in!"

“Our house is on fire, and our children are in!"

Dr Abe V Rotor

"The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our house is on fire, and our children are in

 in acrylic on wood (29"x 24") AVRotor 2026

Many a story or song is about this topic:

"Our house is on fire." Light or tragic?

In our times, please take the latter stance,

when fire razes, there's no safe distance.

The ghosts of Malthus and Frankenstein,

amidst our world of both evil and divine,

arise in postmodern times to wake us up,

before our world comes to a sudden stop.

Like in any war, on all sides of the globe,

loss irrespective of kind need not probe,

loss of peace and happiness, but doom -

in unending chain reaction, ad infinitum.

Yet Frost’s “miles to go before we sleep,”

takes us to the last, or extra mile, to reap,

man’s reward for piety from Him above - 

if only we heed the call of the white Dove.

The 28-spotted ladybug (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata) is actually a beetle. 

It got its 28 black spots scorched by fire, 

as related by this rhyme, from which this 

article got its title.  

"Ladybug, Ladybug, where have you been;

your house is on fire, and your children are in?"

- Traditional Children's rhyme

Waterfalls in My Childhood

Waterfalls in My Childhood

Dr Abercio V Rotor PhD

"I have returned in old age and stood

before my waterfalls to pay homage

with paintbrush and canvas. Behold!

I painted a scene gentle with age. "

Waterfalls in My Childhood, in acrylic (29"x 24") AV Rotor 2026

Waterfalls are nature's living fortress,

their massive walls rise to the sky,

symbol of strength and daring, and I,

I grew up a disciple as time went by.

Down their cascading waters I rode,

along the river that meets the sea,

to a world strange, unknown, and I,

I looked back, in spite of being free.

Time and place combine into fate,

into a life travelled but once only,

a world incognito, infinitum, and I,

I crossed my Rubicon, a long story.

I have returned in old age and stood

before my waterfalls to pay homage

with paintbrush and canvas. Behold!

I painted a scene gentle with age. ~

“You don’t have the power to make rainbows or waterfalls, sunsets or roses, but you do have the power to bless people by your words and smiles. You carry within you the power to make the world better.” - Sharon G. Larsen