Gerry Jacobson
The Climate ’Tis a-Changin’
shall we say ‘no’
to this present moment
pretending
that all is well
and always has been
We stand in a circle, about thirty of us, holding placards. We are trying to get our government to take climate change seriously. Some passers-by take our leaflets, acknowledge us; others avert their eyes, walk on. It’s Sunday morning and they have shopping to do, friends to meet. Smoke gets in my eyes; Sydney’s air pollution is “hazardous” today. This summer has seen the worst drought in our history, and the most widespread bushfires. More than one hundred fires are still burning (mid-January) in eastern Australia. The fire season began in September (early spring) and won’t end until we have 150-200 mm of rain, which may be weeks or months off. This is climate change: extreme weather events associated with one degree of global heating.
we’ve always
had fire and drought
and yes
we’ve also had
greed and delusion
fireworks
on the harbour bridge . . .
Happy New Year . . .
ten thousand people
trapped on the beaches
days of wrath
hellfire and ashes . . .
my hometown
the most polluted city
on this Earth
smoke
from burning forests
in the breeze
I hear the screams
of dying koalas
About the Author
Gerry Jacobson lives in Canberra, Australia, and can be found writing tanka in its cafes. He was a geologist in a past life and now celebrates reincarnation as a dancer.