Too Late?

by Stephen Gospage

Sunday 11th February 2024 5:55 pm

The hottest January ever;

We’ve passed the one point five degrees.

Climate change is on the march,

Frying the air and boiling the seas.

Do not say we didn’t warn you;

We have been banging on for years.

But the actions of our leaders

Are running decades in arrears.

And don’t pretend it’s all fake news

Or the facts are inconclusive;

Evidence for such opinions

Is vanishingly elusive.

New record highs will come and go,

As long as we spit on this Earth.

The floods and fires will rampage

Till we respect our planet’s worth.

So please make no more excuses

For pumping rubbish at this rate.

Bells of warning have been sounded;

It may already be too late!

Comments

Stephen Gospage

Mon 12th Feb 2024 21:36

Thanks, Steve. Yes, as long as combatting climate change is portayed as being a burden with no benefit, it will slip further down the agenda.
I agree, John. The worst possible reason for doing nothing.
Greg - yes, the wild weather seems to be everywhere. Most weeks we hear of the hottest, the strongest etc. Keep safe.
Thanks, Uilleam. The fossil fuel and arms lobbies certainly have their tentacles into politics at all levels. It takes brave people to stand up to them.
Carlton - You make a valid point. We (or most of us) are all hypocrites. I make an effort to reduce my carbon footprint but I'm sure I could do a lot better.

And thanks to Rob, Manish, Purplemoon, K Lynn, Hugh, Nigel, Aisha, Stephen A and Holden for liking this one.

David RL Moore

Mon 12th Feb 2024 12:08

Hi Stephen,

I agree if not already too late then too near the margins.

Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" was published in the 50's and was predicting most of what is happening now

Whenever I see people posting about the approaching critical mass of environmental catastrophe I naturally wonder what steps they are taking themselves beyond the obvious recycling measures possible, which we should all be doing as a matter of habit.

I wonder how many of those who declare concern have enacted personal changes to their life styles in regard of how they support industrial farming practices in their various consumer habits. Their answers to that question colour my opinion of their personal commitment.

I commend the worthy subject matter of your poem and the attention it hopefully draws.

Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Mon 12th Feb 2024 11:10

Bravo Stephen.
Unfortunately, there are those in the UK (and elsewhere ) on all parts of the political spectrum who have personal financial stakes in promoting a literally "slash and burn" agenda, and that includes the arms companies here, literally "making a killing" on behalf of those vested interests.

Greg Freeman

Mon 12th Feb 2024 10:13

Too late? I fear that you're right, Steve. Up here in Northumberland the wind doth blow, mightily.

John Coopey

Sun 11th Feb 2024 21:51

Absolutely right, Stephen. I've heard so many people say "Why should we do it if major polluters like China and the USA don't?"
Possibly the worst reason of all for not doing anything and the green light for everybody to do nothing.

Steve White

Sun 11th Feb 2024 18:58

Absolutely, Stephen.

I fear that action against climate change doesn't fit neatly into the electoral cycle, and as soon as "it's already too late" becomes the accepted narrative it'll fall off the agenda all together.

If you wish to post a comment you must login.

Too Late?

Comments

Please consider supporting us