And the Forests Burn

Photo by David A. Stern

And the forests burn

like we said they would,

sending smoke signals

to our scorching lungs.

The oceans boil with bleach

and the beaches are strewn

with perpetual plastic tokens.

The chicks are choking;

we watch them die.

We tell ourselves lies to survive

but surviving is brief.

We’ve destroyed the reef

which we call our home.

We are alone in our sin

and it’s too late to begin repenting.

Time is no longer lending,

the wounds are no longer mending,

we hurl toward the ending

and cry with the setting sun.