and all the beautiful seas,
miles of deserted beaches,
of dolphins, whales and seals;
must we tell you about melting glaciers,
plastic debris, choking pollution,
rising sea-levels,
acidification and bleaching of coral reefs.
If we tell you about huge tropical rainforests,
and wonderful temperate woodlands
of beech, oak and birch, elm and ash;
must we tell you about deforestation,
raging fires, unrestricted destruction.
If we tell you about the joy of tumbling streams
and rambling valleys,
the peace of wide slow rivers;
must we tell you about toxic run-off,
dying fish, increased rainfall,
extreme flooding.
If we tell you about magnificent mountains
and rolling hills,
how it is to breathe the freshest air
in all the big wide world;
must we tell you about benzene, xylene,
cfc, carbon and sulphur dioxide.
If we tell you about wildness
of badgers, otters and ospreys,
swallows, swifts,
hedgehogs and hares;
must we tell you about missing butterflies,
and dying bees, the BSE and bTB.
We will tell you of all
the lovely things,
but must we tell you
must we tell you
how we have wrecked
how we have wasted,
this Earth?
© Jackie Biggs
Jackie Biggs has had poetry published in many magazines and anthologies, both print and online. Her first collection is The Spaces in Between (2015). She blogs at: The Spaces in Between. Twitter: @JackieNews