"this is sixth form poetry, not Keats or Yeats"
You struggle for breath. And reach towards the sun With yellowed fingertips; Stunted roots Can no longer drink The static water that was Once a stream. Your perfectly preserved husk Lies buried; Sheets of glass Protect your shroud from Arctic hare and polar fox; Their footsteps vibrating gently Against the windowpane of Your mausoleum. … Read more
Within the temperate climes of wooded land, Disturbances are part of nature’s flow; But as the rising heat gets out of hand, The fingerprints of change begin to grow. The patchiness of localised affairs, Cannot conceal the wider cracks and tears; The global climate means it won’t be long, Until the forests that we … Read more
The sun-bleached earth bursts into flame, As lightning forks across the sky; A stolen gift for us to try, A burning life that we could tame. But once we gave this gift a name, We blinked the impacts from our eye; The sun-bleached earth bursts into flame, As lightning forks across the sky. … Read more
As our oceans warm from global change, Vibrant corals dissolve and collapse; Reefs in the Northern Red Sea Are sheltered from the stress. But local events Bring pollution; In the end They will Break. This is a nonet, inspired by recent research which has found that excess nutrients from human activities may compromise the resilience … Read more
Amongst the icy peaks and stony seas, We count the plants that call such heights a home; Traversing every sudden gale and breeze, To better understand how they have grown. Across the years of data in this zone, Diversity increased at quickened pace; Accelerating at a speed unknown. So even in the most secluded place, … Read more
As climates change and rainfalls slow, Our trees adapt the way they grow; For every water-seeking root, The greenery becomes dilute. A forest we no longer know. Now forced to reap the seeds we sow Above the ground and deep below, The outcome of forbidden fruit. As climates change. This biome that begins … Read more
As mountains break apart at snow-packed seams, They spew their powdered cargo without care; Destroying life with frozen, hoary streams, Their mass and scope now tied to warming air. The wounds of every broken, shattered limb, Reduces what was pure to something grim; The sound of snowflakes falling in the spring, A warning of … Read more
after David Attenborough Planet Earth II is thinner than ever Planet Earth II contains the following upgrades and bug fixes: Interfaith dialogue Patience Context Colour-blind police Infinite non-renewable energy sources Only your favourite foods Only your favourite people Only tolerable music 2016 removed as causing problems for some users Enhanced type face Compliments-only setting … Read more
Plant a tree Go Barbados and plant A palm tree Turn the water off Drink booze Take a shower with Someone else Take a shower with Rhianna This is a poem written by a ‘non-expert’, as part of a research project which used poetry to develop dialogue around environmental change. The theme of this poem … Read more
The Earth has changed, Because of what us humans do. The Earth has changed; Our hearts and minds now left estranged. Not all of us are feeling blue, Just those who think of nature too. The Earth has changed. This is a Rondelet, inspired by recent research which has explored the psychological effects of climate … Read more