This Poem

Joe Garcia and Heidi fleeing the flood

David J. Phillip, AP photo

This poem is an old woman's tears, 

watching news of floods, devastation,

humans and animals fleeing in terror.

This poem is Mother Nature crying her distress

with wildfires, floods, storms, torrential rain,

in the only voice she has.

When will we hear?

This poem is humankind coming to terms with 

how unconsciously 

we have lived.

Houston SPCA photo

This poem remembers being taught as a child

to respect our mothers.

This poem knows we have forgotten to respect

and care for the mother of us all,

on whom all lives depend.

This poem hears the cries of the natural world,

feels the fierceness of storms and floods,

the terror of people and animals fleeing for their lives.

This poem bears the weight of millions of animals 

drowning in floods, burning in wildfires,

or starving through lack of habitat.

This poem foresees millions of 

climate change refugees

on the move.

Young deer swimming for its life

AP photo

This poem is a heart full of sorrow 

from watching a planet in peril.

This poem is a mind grown weary 

from knowing what she knows.

This poem is a plea for 

the best and wisest in humanity to rise

across the globe,

to address our greatest threat -

the climate change we have caused -

while there is still a small window 

of time.

for Susan's prompt at Midweek Motif: Respect