Sad Santa (Arctic Poem Part III)

When we last visited Santa,

A sign on which was written "For Sale"

Hung from a post on his property.

It's hanging there still from a rusty nail.

 

Santa shuffled out to greet us.

Conditions have been taking a toll

On Santa, for it is obvious that

Things aren't going so well at the Pole.

 

"Welcome back," said Santa, wiping

A little tear from the edge of his eye.

"I wish I could say that things were improving.

Alas, they're not," he said with a sigh.

 

"The Arctic is warming at such a fast rate!

Believe you me, it's very alarming.

Don't people care about

The habitats that humans are harming?

 

"Upsetting the balance of nature is having

Disastrous consequences, for now

We are at a tipping point.

How much more will we allow?

 

"Melting sea ice is making it hard

For animals who need it to thrive.

Polar bears and walruses

Are finding it hard to stay alive.

 

"A lot of snow and ice up here

Is badly needed to reflect

The sun's energy back into space.

Now we have the albedo effect:

 

"Water and rock both absorb

Heat from the rays of the sun, which will

Cause even more ice to melt,

Making the earth warmer still!

 

"Many animals face starvation,

Animals such as reindeer that graze.

As we observe the Greenland ice

Sheet melt, expect bleaker days.

 

"With the thawing of more terrestrial

Permafrost, methane's released

Into our earth's atmosphere.

Our problems once again are increased.

 

"I hate to be a buzz kill," he added.

"But my cheerful 'Ho, ho, ho!'

Is turning into a dire warning--

Now it's more of a 'Whoa, whoa, whoa!'

 

"No one wants this property,

Other than polluters and drillers.

But I refuse to sell to climate

Change deniers or habitat killers."

 

Mrs. Santa called from the house.

"The missus needs me," he said. "So long.

Tell everyone that Santa needs

A climate change Christmas song."

 

With that, he turned and left us standing,

Baffled, bewildered, sad, distraught.

Some folks might be fooled by deniers,

But one thing's for certain: Santa's not.

 

-by Bob B (12-10-19)