Earth Falling

After doing a collage in my journal on 12/9/12, I wrote what I saw and felt- earth, like a superball globe falling into the mess we made here. Wondering if the next generation can clean it up.

The world is falling fast
Down a chute of our mechanical making
Shrinking with its turns and tumbles
Caught in an eddy of black streaming dust
And tangled cords
Among microchips of memory
And wireless routers

It bounces like a superball
On tops of buildings too tall to climb
Riccochets and lands in wastewater
Filled with plastic cups.
Still it floats, buoyed by
Random styrofoam mixed
With driftwood, scraps of metal
And sunken boats

Rockets shoot up from melted dreams
And fire burns on the surface
Catching oil and chemical spills.
Rigs and scaffolding tip and pound
The surface of the world to submerge it,
Push it down
Can one generation of grace
Sweep it all clean?

Author's Note

Something to work with, the idea of the world falling into itself, the start of a series, who knows?

Reviews

[Diamond]

I like this poem. It talks of how mankind's short term needs are consuming nature. Good one.

[H.L. Cerveise]

I love this poem because often it is up to poets to plead passionately on the behalf of those wronged. The Earth is crying out to us; however, it is only people who are open to her lamenting that are listening. I like the flow and the stanza break down.

Well done.

[Marianne Rose]

Until I started posting here, I never knew I could have a public voice in poetry- work hard to help people in poverty at my job,many whenever I'm inspired to, but never this way. You're right- it is the poets and the artists that reflect the world back - what was, is and could be. We are the dream-keepers. Your review gives me more encouragement to keep writing and begin to share with wider audiences. Thank you for your reflections and kind review.

[H.L. Cerveise]

It is a warrior poet's duty to do all you are writing about. See my profile where I talk about warrior poets and this link (https://warriorpoetwisdom.com/what-is-warrior-poet-wisdom/). You don't have to write poetry to be a warrior poet. I have seen many who are warrior poets who never write anything.

[Inject Positivity]

It's difficult, but not impossible... I think the modern generation and the future generations will find it hard to clean it up, because first of all they are quite habituated with the modern technology, they believe interactions on mails and phones is better than meeting the same person face to face... Then the there is a problem they face, that is helplessness in choosing the right path... The speed of our earth's falling is faster than they could think, so the situation will be tougher to handle but I still believe that strong leaders and workers can clean it up, one step at a time, one step at a time...

Sincerely
Dhiman

[Marianne Rose]

Yes, one step at a time- I try to talk to younger generations about the lack of connection and impact of technology- especially when the computer has taken over the role of babysitter for 3-5 year olds. Not having had the childhood communities I had growing up, they don't know how to model this for their children. Yet they do know something is missing. Relationships behind the wall of safety technology provides has limited a lot of people's socialization skills. I do do some of younger generations that are more Eco-conscious than I ever was, so they are trying to grow into leaders in their times. Thank you for your reflections and reminders of hope.

[KingJoseph]

The poem leaves a heavy heart as if it were leaving such a heavy responsibility to the next generation. Cleaning up for something they dkd not even start. Well, I guess its human nature. Very difficult, but possible if it becomes a requirement rather than a kind gesture.

[Marianne Rose]

Sometimes my heart is heavy for my grandchildren, now teenagers, looking into the world with their own awareness of what they are walking into. The only thing I can do with my feelings is write. Some people are activists, I've walked that road at times, but it tires me now to see young activists falling into traps of rage that doesn't bring change but only more pain. So I just write some more. It's interesting you say possible if it becomes a require the rather than a kind gesture. Something to ponder-the place of kindness in all this as opposed to the realization it is a necessary part of survival. Thanks for reading this, heavy as it is.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i think a new generation could get us back to the selves we really want to be...and there could be peace and love like we spoke of fervently in the sixties. But i also think there has to be involvement...and i don't really see it...generally i see apathy...and involvement only in technology---and mass communication on facebook, texting and so on...which disturbs me greatly....part might be apathy but part of it may be these younger people feeling helpless to be able to do anything about the world, so they find one to hide in...

sometimes, can't blame them...it's a world getting worse.

j.

[Marianne Rose]

Yes, I see that too- not as much apathy as escape from feeling helpless and without direction. But every once and a while, I see a leader emerge- a student who led homelessness awareness day on-campus- his idea- inviting homeless from the street and from student body to speak in the quad. Then there's the group that decided there wasn't enough food for hungry students and organized a food give-away every Tuesday. My friend who's an activist from the 60's and continues to be feels they need opportunities to learn what works and what doesn't- she finds herself mentoring young activists. When it comes to government though, it just seems to much for anyone to think of influencing policy. That's where I see escapism and apathy growing. And so many are in survival mode. I still hope for a change- but I don't see it coming in my lifetime- my activist friend does though. Who knows?