Firefly,
Firefly,
fire
fly for me.
Pelican,
brown pelican
of the gulf coast pelicans,
(you were once a postcard pelican)
preen once more for me.
BP CEO sail your yacht
on a pristine sea.
For me.
This post is in response to the challenge on Imaginary Garden with Real Toads to raise our voices for climate justice.
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill continued for nearly five months until it was finally sealed on Sept 10, 2010. It is estimated that 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled off the coast of Louisiana, threatening fisheries, wildlife, and beaches along the coastline, including sensitive nesting areas for the brown pelican.
This post is in response to the challenge on Imaginary Garden with Real Toads to raise our voices for climate justice.
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill continued for nearly five months until it was finally sealed on Sept 10, 2010. It is estimated that 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled off the coast of Louisiana, threatening fisheries, wildlife, and beaches along the coastline, including sensitive nesting areas for the brown pelican.
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| Satellite image of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico |
When the company's CEO took a day off to go sailing during the height of the disaster, he reportedly referred to those fishermen and others whose livelihood depended on the waters of the Gulf as "Small People".
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we may not know the full effect of the spill on animals-both big and small-for years to come.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we may not know the full effect of the spill on animals-both big and small-for years to come.
BP is a case study on how much ignoring corporate social responsibility can cost, from both a financial and environmental standpoint. The story of the Zebra Finch relayed to us on The Garden, is a case study for fighting back, and the words of climate activist, Joanna Macy, who has devoted her life to working for climate justice, inspire us all to speak up and take action, however small, as small as the mother Zebra Finch who sings to her unborn chick in the egg, preparing it for life in a changing world.
Amazingly, scientists have observed that chicks sung to in this way emerge smaller than usual, thus better able to withstand a warming environment. In the words of Sherry Blue Sky at the garden, I too see hope in the "young rainbow warriors" arising across the world to fight for the future of planet Earth.
Thank you for reading what I've posted as rain pelts my window on this late December day in wet, soggy out-of-sorts Michigan,
Amazingly, scientists have observed that chicks sung to in this way emerge smaller than usual, thus better able to withstand a warming environment. In the words of Sherry Blue Sky at the garden, I too see hope in the "young rainbow warriors" arising across the world to fight for the future of planet Earth.
Thank you for reading what I've posted as rain pelts my window on this late December day in wet, soggy out-of-sorts Michigan,
9 comments:
May the wishes in your poem all come true
"Small people" - the attitude that allows the CEO's on their yachts to not distress themselves over the million deaths they are responsible for. Thank you for the ache in this poem, which i feel, and for your notes. That oil spill will have devastating consequences for decades. I believe corporations should be held morally and financially responsible for cleaning up their messes - and for paying taxes proportionate to their wealth. We are still living like kings and serfs, it's crazy.
Very insightful, wonderful poem..
What scares me is how many of the “Small people” support those who see them this way.
Our world has been turned inside out, upside down, since the current leaders are ruining everything good and place profit and power over our country's longevity.
..
Oh man, this is really powerful. Beautiful poem, sing-song, truthful, hard truths.
Your poem beautifully makes it's point. Such tragic consequences and an uncaring response.
Rosemary,
Thank you.
Sherry,
Thank you so much for the platform and the prompt. I will miss you and the Garden, but hope more avenues open up. Climate Justice means corporations pay taxes proportionate to their wealth, and clean up after themselves.
Tony,
Exactly right and I'll never understand it. Thanks.
Jim,
Looking forward to new leadership. It has to come, no?
Thanks!
Marian,
Thank you so much and thanks for commenting here.
Millie,
Thanks! I appreciate your and your comment.
It's hard not to wish for a typhoon to come along while he's out sailing, but I should take the advice I offered in my own poem, and concern myself more with those he cavalierly dismissed as "small people." (But I would not be sad if a typhoon happened anyway).
Rommy,
Thanks! The typhoons never seem to effect those in high places. The poor will be the first to feel climate change. Here's to all the "small people". Together our voices can rise like a tsunami.
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