Slowly,
they move across the land,
hooves burned
by the wildfires.
They are the last two of their herd,
crossing a post-apocalyptic landscape.
They suffer,
because humankind
has not lived well
upon the land.
They suffer,
because of us.
188 wildfires burn,
more each newscast,
gobbling forests, homesteads,
towns.
Towns evacuated,
Thousands fleeing.
Populations on the move.
Wildlife with no home.
Wildfires roaring their anger
at a planet
that is burning, flooding, storming
its distress.
We suffer, and we understand.
The animals suffer,
and they have no voice but ours,
to speak for them,
to speak for them,
no future, for them, for us,
unless humanity wakes up.
And we have remained asleep
40 years too long.
Horse bones
For Sumana's Midweek Motif prompt: Movement
My heart is breaking for animals, domestic and wild, caught in the wildfires. Humans suffer, and we understand. We have resources, cars in which to flee, we have a voice, we can get help. The animals only know suffering, terror, pain, a fiery death. Because of us. Most of these wildfires were started by human carelessness. Unbelievably, the woman who took these photos and the video linked below was behind a car where a woman TOSSED A CIGARETTE BUTT out of the window. Right in the middle of the wildfires. There is truly no excuse for this kind of stupidity. Vikki was in Ashcroft, rescuing horses.
The cost of cleaning up after climate change incidents will be so much greater than switching to clean energy would be. But political will seems oddly lacking. Holding onto power seems to be more important than survival of the planet. Capitalism is accustomed to one way of doing business and appears utterly unwilling to even think about changing. Our proverbial goose is cooked unless serious change happens immediately. A huge iceberg in Antarctica just broke off. We are watching history, folks. I pray it isn't our last chapter. But if it is, Mother Earth will live on, and wild creatures will thrive once again. Faint comfort for all those suffering now across the globe. If civilization survives, future generations will look back at us and consider us insane and/or woefully ignorant.
Here is a link to a short video about the horses in the above photo. It wouldn't upload for me. LINK
Here is a link to a short video about the horses in the above photo. It wouldn't upload for me. LINK
You speak so eloquently for the animals and nature, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteIn OZ every bush fire summer season, fires are deliberately lit...not accidents.. causing devastation.School holidays are linked to it.Fires are absolutely terrifying. If I had to choose and I've been in both...I'd go for a flood.
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Rall.
DeleteI have been seeing wildfires on the news and wonder about the forest dwellers with no place to go :(
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, powers at play only care about money to be made.
Thank you Sherry for once again putting the focus right where it belongs. Just how much money is life worth?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Powerful and heartbreaking. So often our carelessness is the cause of so much destruction
ReplyDeletePassivity adds to the torture of animals your poem recognizes. My soles ached just to read it.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly don't deserve to live on this beautiful planet as time after time after time we see how foolish and careless we are in maintaining the Earth so our own children can continue living here. All the while stupid scientists and dreamers talk about colonising already dead planets after they have killed ours!
ReplyDeletePowerful write. I'm glad I lived when I did. I like to be positive. And there are multitudes working on the Nature front. But the future of Mother Nature is not good. (human population)
ReplyDeleteAn important write Sherry..hope more people get to read this..
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking! Too many people seem not to care how they lay waste the planet.
ReplyDeleteHumans are intoxicated in the business of money matter, so this result. My heart breaks.
ReplyDeleteAmen I am so with you. We all and especially the government should take responsibility for taking action for climate change so the earth and as you passionately mentioned the animals won't have to suffer
ReplyDeleteWell said Sherry
ReplyDeleteTruth....powerful...!!
ReplyDeleteThis speaks truth to power and does it beautifully.
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad to read about the movement of those wildfires. Every year they seem to happen and destroy even more.
ReplyDeleteWe are behaving as if it is not home sadly. You might find this site of interest Sherry.
ReplyDeletehttp://dark-mountain.net/
Beautifully done, Sherry!You know, it’s also tragic that we don’t always recognise just how unfortunate we ourselves are!!
ReplyDeleteHumans: The worst species ever...sigh!