Brown Dominion
A sonant seashore in Gulf waters
Peaceful, restful, welcoming
No More.
Tiny tar balls wash on
Pristine shores.
A sheen of long brown streamers lies
Across a liquid bed.
Fightless birds with flightless wings
And lifeless eggs
Shrouded in the heavy brown of greed.
A delicate estuary, draped in toxic goo.
A nursery of shrimp and crabs
Destroyed.
Unknowing creatures, unwilling victims
Of a need for higher dividends
We live on a tiny blue ball,
A speck in the universe
With only a thin candy shell
For air, a drop of fresh water.
The only home where we can live.
What is this force that comes
To take without remorse?
He is a tyrant that comes in the night,
Seduces our young daughter
And takes from her
That fragile bloom
That is only hers to give
And give but once.
He says only “It was what I wanted.”
As if that justifies the act.
And when it is gone and cannot be returned,
What can we do?
Hal C Clark
June 2010
The spill in the Gulf is very frustrating for many people; people who live in the middle of the affected area, make their living from it either harvesting seafood or in tourism. The oligarchy at BP doesn’t seem too concerned. They took risks, cut corners, and now are more concerned about stockholders.
This poem is more edgy than my usual, but I needed something that expressed my feelings. I tried a rhyming poem, but it didn’t carry the impact I was after. Poetry is the most expressive type of writing I know of to express feelings.
Also, this is not about politics. It is about humanity and caring about someone besides oneself. I would appreciate your comments, up or down. I love the supportive environment I find on WordPress.
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