Global Warning

The earth will survive without us!

As we spin on this solar axis,

facing our own Yellow Dwarf,

the sadness of every human life

is hidden behind glass mirrors,

concealed in the eyes of the extrovert,

the psychopath, the bully and the priest.

 

Some though wear it on their sleeves,

bleed it through their eyes,

as the struggle and the pain

of life's barbed wire demise

tears flesh from bone

and leaves the spirit

crushed back to black ash.

 

Others stare blankly

with dead eyes,

caught in the headlights

of truth.

Transfixed like the rabbit

about to become

Carrion.

 

Prisms of heat fold

the sun into a burning

laser so that no pleasure

can come from the sky

and the moon simply

plays frosted games with

the earth, until hope

becomes a frozen heart

on a raging ocean.

 

We live and breathe

but have no life left

worth living, have no future

as the planet is ravaged

into fighting back against

human selfishness,

setting fire to the sky,

lashing the human occupied land

with tornados and hurricanes

and swollen rivers,

drowning out all voices

of reason.

 

17/09/20

Author's Note

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Yes my friend. 8 billion people polluting our earth. Earth will out-last us. We will one day become gone from kind earth. Outstanding words shared John.
Coyote

[John Alexander McFadyen]

You are one who is close to the earth Coyote John and understand, so many thank yous!

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome John.

[barleygirl]

Your poem, well-written with powerful imagery pertinent to today's planet, reminds me of thoughts that run unbidden thru my brain during this season of California's worst fires ever (we say that every year, but it continues to escalate -- we are on the verge of our first million-acre fire!) I am not in love with the human race for its nasty natural tendencies & I would laugh to see the planet fight back to the point of exterminating people, so she can get back to the business of healing herself! Your penultimate verse is superb & witty! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed a subject to stir the soul Margie. It was part inspired by your reports of the situation in CA. Many thank yous

[Kari Rakitan]

Thanks for sharing this poem. This is the reason why I have never had a driver's license even though I'm over 30 now. My family and ex-boyfriend coaxed me to get a permit in my early twenties, but I always failed the test for some small reason each time. It was a relief to me when I failed the third test, and the person administering it scribbled "void" on my permit. I also had some depression at that time in my life, and it could have been due to the birth control pills I was taking, but I think it also had a lot to do with the pressure to drive and feeling like society was trying to trap me into doing something I felt was wrong. Emotionally, I can't handle driving when I know what it does to the planet. That's a big reason why the protagonist in my story doesn't drive either. I don't address it directly, but her love for the planet comes out in more subtle ways throughout the story.

Thanks for the music!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes I get that. I am desperate to have an all electric car but they are still too expensive and also contribute to global decline. Many thanks Kari.

[Vertigo Cat1111]

This was worded beautifully! We really are in crazy times and some people try to help and others don’t. The wording in tv is really captures the heaviness of all the chaos right now, and it fit all so well together and felt like such a complete piece of art.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much Colacat

[Eilis]

This certainly captures the spirit and the urgency of our times. Having children, I feel the sense of loss in ways I never thought of when I wasn't a parent. The carefree activities of my childhood are lost to them, and their future is uncertain due to the ways the early warning signs of climate distress were ignored.

I enjoy your approach here. The heaviness of the imagery and the sensations of the times that you evoke through your points of reference. These are troubling times indeed, and your poem encompasses so much of the darkness. Great work.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

They are indeed dark times but most of us cope by getting on with our live I guess and perhaps making small changes such as cutting down meat consumption, buying less packaged products and recycling what we can. Many thanks Eilis for another very considered review.

[Fay Slimm]

The message in this starkly true verse calls out for action as global tears are drowning in human neglect and greed. A powerful read John

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much Fay; we need to act.

[Dave Brown]

funny! Too few people seem to get it
Corporations think only profit
Developers think only of clearing away the tree to make room for more malls and apartments
Money, not common sense still rules, and the results are becoming much too obvious

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Agreed Dave but what are WE doing about it? Many thanks.

[Dave Brown]

we, so far, have a heat pump, religiously recycle, have planted many trees, now leave our fields uncut for nature, actively promote nesting birds, provide as safe a haven as we can for the creepy and crawly thingys and, if and when, our next vehicle will be electric.
Far from perfect but aware and responding