extinction poem # 9
did you hear her words last monday?
16 year old greta thunberg of the youth
led climate strike at the UN? “you have
stolen my dreams and my childhood with
your empty words” “I want you to feel
the fear I feel every day – and then I want
you to act” “change is coming whether
you like it or not” “collapsing ecosystems
mass extinctions climate change sufferings”
“our leaders are not mature enough to tell
it like it is” “this is an emergency, our house
is on fire” “you are coming to us young
people for hope” “I don’t want you to be
hopeful, I want you to panic” “you are
failing us and if you choose to fail us
I say we can never forgive you” – well
I heard greta’s words, know my own kids
grandkids are too scared to talk about the
planet’s future what’s in store for us all –
unless – unless –
2019 Jacqueline Jackson