Climate Poetry
Midway
There always was, and still is
a horizon out to sea
beyond where the albatross
of our faded dream
lands on fields of plastic
as the wreckage or our waste
slips down her throat.
Where storms in Africa
run their rivers through our soul
leaping like oryx
in the sunset of dying hope
spinning down to sludge
and shopping malls
draining the water away
Even so.
We rise.
Over and over again.
We rise.
Because of this,
Be this.
Be loyal to your true heart.
She will lead the way.
*Poem written by Thanissara. The albatross reference was inspired by V.S. Jordan’s poem, Midway V Poem. Jordan wrote this poem after he witnessed an Albatross Feeding, inspired by Chris Jordan’s Midway documentary. Click the links below for poetry, plays, videos, and visual art about climate change.
Cow
She. Ancient, sacred emissary and face
of mother, sweet, caring, and serene.
Forlorn, her udder swollen, veins protruding.
Bellows all night long
for her babies
thrown like trash into wheelbarrows.
Dumped in plastic cubicles
to grow your young white meat.
While she, mother, weeps on and on…
her milk pouring down human throats.
See her. Hear her.
Hear me.
Stop your part
in her agony
Stop raping her
Stop pulling her child from her womb
Stop her crying.
Respect her soul
Her body
Her right to be here
On Earth
Without human hands.
*Poem by Thanissara. This poem highlights the sanctity of cows and other nonhuman life. Check out the Plant Based Treaty for help transitioning to a plant-based diet which protects innocent animals from harm, will reduce your personal carbon footprint, and reduces the destruction of invaluable ecosystems.
Given
(King Island Emu,
Mariana Mallard,
Pink-headed Duck,
Labrador Duck
New Zealand Quail
Double-Banded Argus
Hawkins Rail
Red Rail
Red-Throated Wood Rail
White-Winged Sandpiper
Eskimo Curlew
Colombian Grebe
Bermuda Night Heron
Ascension Night Heron
New Zealand Little Bittern
Small St Helena Petrel
Large St Helena Petrel
St-Helena Dove
Passenger Pigeon
Silvery Pigeon
Mauritius Blue Pigeon
Rodriquez Gray Pigeon
Bonin Woodpigeon
Sulu Bleeding-heart
Black-Fronted Parakeet
Society Parakeet
Paradise Parrot
Night Parrot
Cuban Red Macaw
Cuban Kite
Laughing Owl
Alfaro’s Hummingbird
Imperial Woodpecker
Brace’s Emerald
Gould’s Emerald
Bush Wren
Red Sea Swallow
White-eyed River Martin
Rueck’s Blue Flycatcher
Bay Starling
Mysterious Starling
Black-lored Waxbill)
whose songs we do not hear.
*First published in The High Shelf. This poem is about birds that are critically endangered or have gone extinct because of human behavior. Nadia is a writing and development coach, teacher, writer, yogi, activist, and mother. You can learn more about her here.
For Earth
I want to lay under the stars and look up into space,
and forget for a while that humanity has lost its grace.
Pray to a higher power, that I hope exists,
for the harmful behavior of humanity to desist.
We are treating Earth as if she’s a trash bin,
exploiting and harming her with a heedless grin.
We act as if she’s an object, and has no rights,
and very few people are putting up a real fight.
As carbon levels in the atmosphere rise, hopelessness draws near,
and the greedy capitalists keep on keeping on, without any fear.
They do not see that they’ve already lost,
if you think In terms of morality, and spiritual cost.
Most people are complacent in the face of this existential threat.
I wonder how they sleep at night, without any regret.
Maybe our psychology shields us from the future we face,
because for many of us, everything seems okay, and in a decent place.
We are distracted by our jobs, shopping, and other worldly pursuits,
all the while the natural world is collapsing, and in time, everything else will become moot.
Developed countries hold onto our creature comforts with a vice grip,
seemingly unaware that our excess is going to spell the end of our pleasant IV drip.
We use more resources than Earth can safely regenerate,
and have forgotten the power of nature that, if we were wise, we would venerate.
Most politicians can’t be trusted, they’ve been swayed by lobbyists and aren’t on natures side.
In the darkness, division, corruption, and end game capitalism do reside.
We don’t have control over the water, air, and land,
if we don’t change course, nature will destroy us, as we’re destroying her, with a swat of her hand.
Climate scientists and activists grow tired and may struggle to be kind,
when our voices and efforts get drowned out by fossil fuel lobbyists and politicians that remain corrupt and blind.
When breakdown worsens, I’m sure more citizens will speak and rise.
My fear is, by then, too much of Earth and biodiversity will have been severely compromised.
We can’t lay the burden on climate activists alone,
we all have to rise and act together to ensure Earth remains a safe and habitable home.
*Poem about the necessity of collection action in the face of climate and ecological breakdown, the need to end our addiction to fossil fuels, and rethink our relationship with the natural world.
Two Plays about Climate Change
About 6 years ago, I was walking to the store on a balmy (73 degree) early March day in New England, when I overheard two moms, with their babies in tow, talking about how nice the weather was. This 10 minute play was my response to them.
Activists are often shunned for what appears to be extreme acts. This 10 minute comedy explains how and why so many of us have been pushed into this realm of actions.
*Plays by Judith Black, one of the nation’s foremost storytellers. Judith creates and tells compelling, humorous, and riveting stories. They are sculpted both from her own observed life and created to augment the missions of educational, historic, and governmental organizations. Visit Judith at storiesalive.com.
If you’d like to submit art about climate change - music, writing, photographs, painting, or any other medium - click here.