Water Rights

Fresh water in peril.

As years flow by, and we who think
casually go to and fro upon this earth,
that which is earth gives to us.
We turn the page, not only to a new year,
but to a new decade, and the craving
for the granted essentials is widespread.
I wish it were true that the resources
of our bountiful world were limitless,
but they are indeed finite;
like the fresh water that sustains us,
and sustains all life.
There are still cavernous aquifers,
today with many taps, the availability
of reservoirs and rivulets and blue lakes,

but of course it's problematical,
as the quality, and level, point to peril.
Water, water everywhere,

how many drinks we drop.

Short-sighted thievery 

should never be a right.
Today, even with sagebrush
and wilted flower in thirst,
there is a willingness to speak, 
but their voice is parched with pain,

and brittle words simply break.
What will become of water,
and of us, and of life, if the rights
fall to the poisons of improvidence?
I marvel at the willows who in beauty
draw water from the ground and weep,
but not for reasons I fear to imagine.

Reviews

[ice]

" poisons of improvidence", indeed
We just have to look around, and that type of poison is evident.
I also have the same fears...hopefully our poems will have effect, I guess all we can do is write down how we feel, and what we see.
You have done both here, and have done it well..

ice

[Desert Dreamer]

A poetic reminder to all of us, that we should preserve this precious resource, and do what we can to keep our water clean and share it with all the living things that need it. I suspect that one of these days, the desert aquifers will dry up. The rivers are already gone, out of greed more than for any other reason, and the ground water is rapidly being depleted.