And These Are the Islands

April 22, 2019

Dear Subscriber:

Each week we examine a theme from a variety of points of view. The theme for this week is the environment, in honor of Earth Day, which is celebrated today, April 22, and Arbor Day, which is celebrated on April 26.

I welcome comments on my poems at https://nicholasgordon.blogspot.com .

A poem about the increasing destruction of hurricanes and typhoons due to global warming:

And these are the islands, tiny green drops

On the broad bright blue canvas of tropical seas.

And these are the great white wheels spinning like tops,

Swallowing mountains as the sea swallows rocks,

Swallowing churches and children and trees,

Swallowing islands like tiny green drops

With their warehouses, schoolhouses, dollhouses, shops,

With their dreams and intentions and sweet fantasies,

All smashed by the great white wheels spinning like tops

That gorge on the profits of energy stocks

And the fumes of our lust for convenience and ease,

Heedless of islands like tiny green drops

And the people who live on them tending their crops

Or working in offices, homes, factories,

Devoured by monsters spinning like tops

In a line of disasters no tragedy stops

Despite the raw poignance of powerless pleas …

And these are the islands, tiny green drops.

And these are the great white wheels spinning like tops.

© by Nicholas Gordon

If you enjoyed this poem, please like, comment on, or share it so that it might be seen and enjoyed by others. To see this poem on my site, go to https://www.poemsforfree.com/andthe.html. For more poems about the environment, go to https://www.poemsforfree.com/environmentalpoems.html .

This week’s theme: The Environment

4/22: And These Are the Islands