by George Held
The UN Environment Program said glaciers were among the clearest indicators of global warming: "There are many canaries emerging in the climate change coal mine. The glaciers are perhaps among those making the most noise," said the head of UNEP. —Reuters, March 16, 2008
Melting glaciers are the fainting canaries
Of global warming. Both warn of peril
But while miners flee the cave,
The industrial world persists
In prodigal use of energy
That produces greenhouse gases.
Leaders fiddle while Earth warms.
Lack of political will opens the floodgates
Of glacial melt, and sea levels rise.
The best ecologists lack all persuasion,
While the worst polluters are full of beans.
Lethal methane gas in mines
Kills fast, while glacial melting
Slowly floods the lowlands
And drowns deltas and lowlanders
Without means to reach the highlands.
While the canary faints, then dies
Without a cheep, glaciers break
Apart with thunderous roars
And earsplitting cracks, if anyone
Is there to hear them. Meanwhile,
Human beings turn deaf ears and blind eyes
To glacial signs of catastrophe,
Like miners who ignore a dead canary.
George Held has previously contributed to The New Verse News. His latest poetry collection is The Art of Writing and Others (http://www.finishinglinepress.com/, 2007).
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