Floods of Fear
Dare I suggest climate change is not as recent a phenomenon as some people are suggesting, not to mention as many others who remain in denial.?
The 2010 Pakistan floods directly affected an estimated 14-20 million people, and killed over 1,700. Nearly 1.1 million homes were damaged or destroyed, and at least 436 health care facilities were destroyed. The floods in Pakistan began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and, Balochistan regions of Pakistan, which affected the Indus River basin.
Nature alone is not to blame. Humanity is polluting its earth, air, seas and rivers, and we need to start taking our individual responsibilities to the planet seriously before it is too late. Too many people don't even recycle waste, even where facilities are provided, and do not see it as their problem; we all need to do what we can...or it will be left to future generations to suffer the consequences and pick up whatever pieces may be left.
Past-present-future is a continuum for which we all need to shoulder some responsibility instead of shrugging off the likes of climate change as fake news or as of no immediate personal concern to us so let other people clean up our mess...
FLOODS OF FEAR
Floods
of fear confronting Pakistan,
indiscriminate,
rich and poor;
terrorism
no less a threat than rain
Now and
then, the worst monsoon
breaks
down the strongest door;
floods
of fear confronting Pakistan
Pain
and grief as the world looks on
(some
say could, should do more);
terrorism
no less a threat than rain
Those
left homeless, no peace plan
for
reconstructing their future;
floods
of fear confronting Pakistan
Across
the border with Afghanistan
some
two-way trafficking for sure;
floods
of fear confronting Pakistan
Aid on
its way, can’t arrive too soon;
nature
wreaking sickness and more;
floods
of fear confronting Pakistan;
terrorism,
no less a threat than rain
Copyright R. N. Taber 2010
INDUS RISING
Swathes of the Indus rising
where homes stood, crops grew,
men, women, children dying
It’s live in tents or nothing
whom the monsoon rains pursue;
swathes of the Indus rising
Millions have lost everything,
aid taking its time to filter through;
men, women, children dying
Cases of cholera spreading
like a terrorist nightmare come true;
swathes of the Indus rising
The stink of bodies floating
where nature’s wrath spares but few;
men, women, children dying
Human spirit near breaking,
yet its promises to mend ringing true;
swathes of the Indus rising;
men, women, children dying
Copyright R. N. Taber 2010
[Note: Both poems appear in Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012.]
[
Labels: air, change, climate, disasters, floods, history, humanity, natural, Pakistan, past-present-future, poetry, pollution, responsibility, rivers, sea, society
posted by R. N. Taber | 08:13
|
0 Comments
