Happy Poetry Friday!
Today, March 15, 2019, Heidi Mordhorst is hosting the Poetry Friday Round Up, at her blog my juicy little universe. Heidi asked us to create poems and posts promoting the Climate Strike that is happening around the world in 112 countries, led by students in High School and Middle School. This Youth #climatestrike was initiated by Swedish environmental activist student, Greta Thunberg, now sixteen, and who is actively working to stop global climate change. Another group Greta is involved with is #fridays4future.
Locally in Chicago the “Chicago Area Peace Action (CAPA) is joining the US Climate Strike, (“US Youth Climate Strike is a youth-led movement that was started by three middle & high school students who were inspired by … Greta Thunberg’s “Fridays for our Future” #ClimateStrikes)” as they lead a strike from Grant Park to the Federal Building at 11am. The March is also an effort to help the US Youth Climate Strike, bring “ClimateStrikes to the US,” and “build power and public support for a #GreenNewDeal and a just climate future.”
I pulled some of the source material for my poem from Jennifer Wilcox’s Ted Talk: “A new way to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.” It’s a fascinating talk, under 15 minutes and well worth your time.
STRIKE FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
Strike for all that’s green and all that wants to grow.
Strike for humans, animals, insects, plants, and all of nature.
Strike for our air that’s begging to be cared for.
Strike for our waters that need to run clear and clean.
Strike for our ocean’s temps to stop rising.
Strike for our trees that fill the air with oxygen,
Capture Carbon, eliminate ground level ozone,
sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide.
Strike to plant more trees for trees remove Humid Hazes that
“trap heat, reduce visibility, and increase respiratory illness.”
Strike for the idea of Carbon Capturing man-made forests
to assist with our Global Climate Crisis.
Strike for Carbon capturing forests that could reduce the
amount of CO2 in the air by 5%, which equals the amount
produced by airplanes and trucks.
Strike for the acceptance of Global Climate Change.
Strike for a US commitment to fund Global Climate Change.
Strike for Global Climate Change!
© 2019 Michelle Kogan
Below I’ve included two poems by Denise Levertov who was very involved in the politics and concerns of our environment.
SOJOURNS IN THE PARALLEL WORLD
by Denise Levertov
We live our lives of human passions,
cruelties, dreams, concepts,
crimes and the exercise of virtue
in and beside a world devoid
of our preoccupations, free
from apprehension—though affected,
certainly, by our actions. A world
parallel to our own though overlapping.
We call it “Nature”; only reluctantly
admitting ourselves to be “Nature” too.
Whenever we lose track of our own obsessions,
our self-concerns, because we drift for a minute,
an hour even, of pure (almost pure)
response to that insouciant life:
cloud, bird, fox, the flow of light, the dancing
pilgrimage of water, vast stillness
of spellbound ephemerae on a lit windowpane,
Read the rest of the poem here.
It could be the râle of Earth’s tight chest,
her lungs scarred from old fevers, and she asleep—
but there’s no news from the seismographs,
the crystal pendant
hangs plumb from its hook;
and yet at times (and I whisper because
it’s a fearful thing I tell you)
a subtle shudder has passed
from outside me into my bones,
Read the rest of the poem here.
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Perfect choice for today, Michelle.
So many things to be concerned about, ‘our self-concerns, because we drift for a minute’. I am concerned for all, but most worried for my grandchildren and their children. Well said, Michelle.
I couldn’t agree with you more Linda, they deserve full lives too!
Thanks for your poem and art, and for sharing Levertov’s poems, too. I’m so heartened and inspired by Greta’s leadership and activism. It is good to see young people mobilized and committed.
Oh, “Urgent Whisper” is powerful and true. Thank you for sharing it, Michelle.
“the dancing pilgrimage of water” “something tethered in us…breaks free” — Levertov is such a beautiful poet. Nice picks, Michelle.
Oh good heavens–your Strike! litany is so invigorating, and Denise’s two poems extraordinary: how they carry on the conversation inside me day to day of glory and terror.
Michelle, thank you for the many reminders of what we need to do to have a brighter environmental future. This section struck me in light of all the illnesses that have occurred on Long Island since January: Strike to plant more trees for trees remove Humid Hazes that
“trap heat, reduce visibility, and increase respiratory illness.”
The second poem is one to reflect upon, especially the last stanza.
Thanks Carol, I’m sorry to hear about illnesses in the area–sending healing thoughts to all.
The things that scare me most are the possibility of an insect apocalypse and the heating of the oceans. On second thought, it ALL scares me the most, and you’ve captured ALL of it so well in your poem. Come on, people! Let’s get to work!
Yes we are ready to work and this #climatechange movement is only going forward with CHANGE!
The repetition of “Strike” in your poem is a powerful rally cry, Michelle! I also loved “Urgent Whisper” —so haunting.
A wonderful call to action poem, Michelle. Thanks for sharing Levertov’s poems, as well – she wrote so hauntingly about nature’s fleeting gifts.