Carbon Dreams - Original Poem

For five years now the worldwide economy has struggled to sort itself out after the mortgage crisis in the U.S. and problems with government finances in Europe. At the time of this writing, the "Occupy Wall Street" movement concerning the growing gap between rich and poor in developed countries continues to spread throughout the world. In short, it is a tough time to be young and working towards an uncertain retirement and future. The changes that will take place in the next forty years are unknowable. This leads to a small measure of fear - fear over what we might possibly lose from our previous generation's decisions.

With this focus on industry and business the natural world around us is lost in the shuffle. We are so focused on material wealth or the distribution and lack thereof that we are literally missing the forest for the trees - as in the forests are gone because we took the trees to make money. The world is a beautiful and amazing place, and when threats of war arise, the cost to the natural world itself is often forgotten. And while we have regulations in place to protect parts of nature, they're often the first thing to disappear when political deals need to be made.

"Carbon Dreams" explores some of this loss. I hope you enjoy it:

I tried to slip the world a dream
Easy tenements to broken-hearted
pauper states still feudal to a lord.
Within these ocean walls
what majesty! What glory
hidden down beyond
the sickly smog-filled airwaves
bent by vitriolic penchant for absurd
If only they would look
apply rag to grimy rose-colored glasses
But, lost waiting in the landfill
of an urban tragedy, colliding
butted heads, thick skulls
withstand far less than nuclear apocalypse
Yet bring it on for want of devils' fish food
If only peaks could speak for themselves
and their children, maybe someone
would think of them once and again
between endless throbbing heartache
of what was lost and gone before
We need these spectacles to focus
clear and perfect vision sorely lacking
in incestuously back room handshake politics
contagion of the mighty, o despair
level sand and colossi alike
will turn to dust or sink away
by fallout's clock
in endless carbon dreams

This poem was written February 6, 2010. It has never been published. It is written in freeform prosaic style.

You might notice a reference to Lord Byron's "Ozymandias" in the poem. That is one of my favorite poetic works and an inspiration for the atmosphere I was trying to create in my work here.

Thanks for reading. Your comments and critiques are welcome!