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Envirowoman: Superpowerpoem

 

A long time ago when I was a kid,

I wanted superpowers, but none of those on TV seemed to fit.

Yet as I grew up a light bulb lit,

and I learned that strength is not only physical,

it can be also take form of intelligence, kindness, talent or wit.

 

I found out my superhero powers come with my passion for equality

for all living creatures that will ever live, breathe, exist or be.

It was my prophecy and therefore this my plea.

I, Envirowoman, am here to make sure everyone is treated equally.

No matter species, social class, gender, race or sexuality.

Together equally,

there is more power in her, him, them, you, and me

than there is in those who oppress demographically.

 

Not even close to sarcastically

let me mention oppressors often possess authority.

They engage in oppression mainly for profit and a feeling of superiority.

Methodically.

Mistaken villains like Darth Vader, Magneto and The Joker once were also treated horribly,

so let’s stop the mistake of using horrifying policies.

I would not beat up the assumed villains so easily

before understanding the system that made them and who they originally wanted to be.

 

Still, part of this villainous equation

is extinction, racism, abuse, and deforestation

by big fossil fuelled trucks carrying a symbol of Western dictation.

One oh so greedy creation.

 

When my enviro-ears hear the commotion in the ocean

it reminds me of my devotion

and awakes the emotion

that is my superpower potion.

 

Apparently digging deep into the darkest places of the planet is “fine”,

and slaying the awakened ancient guardians seen as monsters rather than as divine,

because new material possessions bring capitalists “piece of mind”.

 

But is the decline

of species, indigenous people and black/female/LGBTQIA+ lives something you can get behind?

 

Now, we all have our own processing time.

Yet once you’re out of that cocoon,

a full-blown flying hero, you’ll empower sun, Earth, space and moon,

and with laser eyes and beaming lips

your words of choice could grasp attention like a lunar eclipse.

And this is how they could run:

 

“I *superhero name* will fight this battle for everyone!

I will never “just move on”,

I will stay strong.

I will use the power instilled in me

by the powers that be.

I will fight for anyone who do not have the same resourcefulness currently,

whatever creature that might be.”

 

If you throw words of hate and negativity

and say “it’s all down to values and subjectivity”

I throw super words of fact and honesty.

In the sky I spell out with my enviro-signal beam E Q U A L I T Y,

it comes with empathy

and means that we all should have the same rights and be free.

Because basic human rights for everyone is key.

 

See,

I, Envirowoman, draw this power from within,

so let the games of change open and begin.

​

I WORRY

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"I worry." Said Greta, 16 years old.
"I worry not about "normal things" like I am told.
I worry not about what most others worry about.
Getting that new outfit for going out,
whether my mum will be proud
of the grades I achieve at school.
Whether others think I'm cool.
Whether my shoes are high enough,
whether my face is covered in spots,
or my pants are covered with condiment dots,
whether my delivery will make it on time.
I worry about what legacy we, mankind, are leaving behind,
on a planet dying
in front of us."

We tell children like Greta to calm down,
hide away that sad frown, you're not bound by any obligation -
God, technology, or I don’t know, aliens will save us,
this is nothing more than one of planet Earth's demonstrations.

Close your eyes... What do you see?
Darkness,
darkness is what will be.
A place none of us could ever be free,
I'd say that's a pretty big cause to worry.
As a messenger I will tell you what the children around the world are saying
if you’ll keep your eyes closed a little bit longer for me.

"I worry" said Mucamutara, 13 years old.
"In Brazil, in the lungs of our world, wild fires still mold.
While our home is burning away,
you'd rather discuss random fuzz with a glass of fizz in your hands making holiday plans.
While the older generations sit comfortably in their chairs eating sweets
and politicians invest in fossil fuels or retreat,
we, the children, are taking to the streets demanding action now.
There is no "what if we somehow"
there is only immediate change now
or face apocalyptic climate breakdown
The Sixth Era of Mass Extinction.
Wait, let me rephrase that,
Mass Extermination,
because Extinction gives an insinuation
that its causes are natural and not something caused by our nations,
yet it is.
We, the nations, are exterminating ourselves
in our consumerism, economic growth and in our so called wealth.
There is only one sort of growth we need,
a growth in generosity and unselfishness to get rid of this greed.

"I worry" said Nanouk, 10 years old.
"I worry about the sea rising over the horizon of Greenland where my family's ancestors stood bold."
The sea is coming for my ancestors' grandchildren, their history and home.
There is only one way to stop devastation and chaos from roaming.
Fix this,
stitch this,
this is the most important piece of business!
The IPCC report estimated 11 years,
but it bring me to tears
to tell you in 8.5 our CO2 allowance is up.
So maybe it is you, not us, that need to grow up
and stop thinking about money for a bit.
People and animals dying in front of our eyes,
but you’d rather make a little bit more profit.

"I worry" said Nia, 8 years old.
"I worry 2 degrees of warming is the end of my tribe, a story never to be retold.
If 2 degrees is good enough for you,
consequences are sure to follow through.
All around the world climate change will show its clue.
Get ready to face wars over resources on governments' cue,
natural disaster, mass extermination and immigration,
starvation,
extreme weather and temperature fluctuation,
lack of drinking water due to drought
and too heavy rainfall to filter out
algae fast enough
for there to be enough for all of us.
Let's go CO2 neutral by 2025,
or not even our species will be able to survive."

I know, it's much easier to dismiss this,
thousands dying in the darkness.
Ignorance is bliss.
But I'm asking you to open your eyes now.
See the light.
Channel that horrifying fright.
Stop your car, walk with those kids screaming at the top of your lungs,
“I will not let this go on
anymore!
I will walk 1000 miles even if it makes my feet sore,
if I have to swim across the sea to the other side of that shore,
even if it shakes and breaks me to my core.
I will not let these kids hold up the world alone on their shoulders like Atlas did so many years before.”

"I worry." Said Freja, 24 years old.
In any other case I would never have told
anyone to worry,
but by now I hope you are just as frightened as me
And that by opening your eyes here with me tonight has made you able to see.

​

​

Cs(ea)

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The world is ending.

And no,

I don’t mean in a metaphorical way,

or that a meteor is on the way

to strike us out,

no aliens are invading Earth,

no plague is making people eat brains.

Or wait,

maybe there is.

Maybe that plague is something we can’t see.

Eating our brains.

Something we must see.

Maybe we are eating our own brains?

Something starting with a C.

Capitalism?

Consumerism?

Conservativism?

Comfortability?

The world is ending

because we refuse to see the reality of the Cs.

 

There is a C in ocean, the sea.

I admire the sea.

How a wave can pave

the road for marine life.

For our life.

For the energy of our life,

yet as a thank you we throw our trash at it.

Plastic C.

Now she, the sea,

is consequently rising to fight back.

 

While our brains are eaten by laziness,

stubbornness,

and unwillingness

there is one C

we have to see.

Change.

Change to our behaviour.

Climate change.

Our selfishness.

Our self-obsessiveness.

Our unwillingness

to change

because of convenience and because of capital.

 

See.

I like trees.

The grandness of their branches.

How they branch out, reaching far.

Their network.

Their kindness.

They literally soak up our flaws -

carbon dioxide,

another C.

Did you know trees share their nutrients

with other trees that are struggling?

If only we could try to see that,

learn from that,

from nature,

and share our nutrients,

our wealth,

with those struggling

instead of buying, buying, buying,

consuming, consuming, consuming,

more, more, more –

more is not enough.

For us.

But it is for trees.

There is no C in tree.

But there is in cut.

And we’re cutting them down

to make room for our comfortability,

our capitalism,

our consumption.

If only the plague was consumption.

There is a cure for that.

C.

Let’s cure stupidity.

People dying is environmentally friendly,

isn’t it?

Will that make us see

we are not in control anymore.

 

Control.

That’s a big C.

We can even control the weather now.

Did you hear about those artificial rain clouds they use in Dubai to make it rain

so people will go into the shopping centres?

Cloud seed.

That’s exceeding control.

If only we could do that

where there is drought,

where people are suffering,

where animals are suffering,

that would literally make us control the climate.

 

Animals.

They developed the ability to see for survival.

So did we,

originally.

Yet, we are acting like we are blind.

Leaving behind those we cannot see.

While Balou, the bear,

understands the beauty in bare necessities,

we do not.

Hakuna, matata.

Animal worries were limited

before we came along.

 

Extinction.

There’s a C in that.

Extinct is what they will be,

what trees will be,

what the sea will be,

what we will be

if we do not change

and try to save all beeings

we will consequently

compromise our children’s future.

 

Consequences.

Capital C.

Climate change is a consequence of

cutting down trees,

of consumerism,

of capitalism,

of our comfortability,

of our conservativism

and our complete unwillingness to change

to the extent we need to

to not compromise our children’s future.

 

Compromise.

Another C.

That’s not so hard, compromise.

We do it all the time when money is involved.

Do I buy a car or a computer,

computer or car,

both?

Standard or next-day delivery?

How about we compromise in the places where it really matters –

where it affects the bigger picture.

Cutting down on stuff.

On consumption.

To save our children.

There is a C in children.

They march for their future.

Knowing every mile will be worth their while

and the right path is not always the easiest one.

There is a C in march.

Let’s march with them

and let them teach us how to see.

​

​

The Space Between Us

 

Space.

What is space
but the space between us that formed when I left?

Told you I couldn’t stay
so you rushed to a galaxy far far away
and ended up in her path.

Orbiting around her
to try to fill the black hole in your heart which does not fill.
I know,
because I was sucked into the darkness
again and again and again.

I escaped in a spaceship across the sky,
feeling a moment like I could fly,
I’d gone so high
I was in heaven.
Puffy clouds,
magic shine,
it just all seemed so light
like there was no pull,
no gravitational pull,
no black hole pull pulling me down.

I was a shooting star
trying to get so far out of your reach
into open space
which somehow seemed less empty
than the expression of your face
while you were watching me fade away.

But black holes seem light
when they explode big bang bright
for a 100th of a second.
I and a supernova fight.
Until everything goes dark again.
And I’m left floating in the darkness.
Feeling the pull.

I flew from your bed to my bed,
but you flew to her bed away from my bed.
Why are you still stuck in my head?
Like the moon orbiting around the Earth.
But the Earth orbits around the Sun.
So I’ll have to move on.
I just hope the space between us won’t be light-years long.