Frogs In a Pot

Humanity sat like frogs

in a slowly warming pot of water

for so long, while strident voices

on the periphery, trying to warn us,

were silenced or ignored. Or fake news

said climate crisis was a hoax.

(Now they say the government

has a "weather machine".

How crazy can this get?)

Tonight, on the tv screen,

an environmental scientist

explains clearly: because of global warming,

the warming of the ocean and

the burning of fossil fuels, we are reaching

the point where climate events

exceed our ability to adapt, recover

and be resilient.

What is it about humans that we only listen

when it is too late?

When meterologists burst into tears

on-screen, methinks we have waited

far too long.

I have a sense of foreboding, watching the news, as storms ravage the southern US, as right wing crazies cause so much misinformation and distress, as wars escalate across the globe. No solutions in sight. Governments divided, instead of working together for the people, though the Democrats try as hard as they can. No strong action to reduce emissions. Leaders who prefer war to negotiation. Right now, I sit in a peaceful place on the planet. But AT ANY MOMENT, this all could change. Earthquake, tsunami, a leader elected who would love to play nuclear war...........it is a sad night on Planet Earth. And sadder by far for those who fled their homes, sitting in shelters, waiting to see if they have a home - or town - to go back to. How many times will this be repeated before we join together to cool this planet down????? I have now been writing about this for forty years. What we feared back then is happening now.  We need to elect leaders who understand the scope of this problem and who will deal with it.