flashquake Nonfiction

IRON HEARTED
by Patricia Harrington

Three thousand years ago, the Iron Age began humankind's ascent into modernity. Smelted iron was made into tools that evolved in design and complexity until industry flourished and boardrooms and stock markets blossomed. A simple, silver metallic substance from the depths of the earth would catalyze the growth of cities. Iron ruled: it was, after all, impermeable. Iron's influence even spread into language. Agreements between men were ironclad, and too often, made by ironbound men, inflexible in designing treaties and tolerant of slavery's depravities. These men labored without doubts as to their rights or their righteous decisions. They ruled with iron hands in dealing with their enemies. There were ironsides, metal ships, that went into battle to protect territory and possessions. And America's westward expansion spread on iron tracks laid by Chinese laborers and Irish immigrants, over which iron horses carried settlers and tycoons alike. And iron reigned powerful.

Then came plastics and polymers, satellites and cyberspace. Human culture had evolved to lofty heights and begun loosening the ironclad shackles of shared humanity. And one day in a fateful September, two towers made of steel and iron proved fallible, collapsing under flames of hate.

Such is irony.

Copyright 2003 by Patricia Harrington

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