"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
Beneath the dusty soil and arid earth Your tentacles branch outwards; Driven by an unseen architect To create multifaceted monoliths Of gnarly twine and knotted rope. Your suppurated fingertips Dowse for unseen traces of Ancient reservoirs and Underground lakes, Recklessly reaching through Unseen valleys and hidden troughs. Relentlessly you twist and turn Through broken pottery … Read more
With rising heat, the Earth begins to bloom, The emerald hues a fervent sign of spring; And every breath of air that’s taken in, A sweet riposte to poisons we exhume. But now these inhalations come too soon, A portent of the harmful change they bring; With rising heat, the Earth begins to bloom, … 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
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
Ornate and prized as something grand, We didn’t know what you had planned; The warning signs we did not heed, You suffocate us with your need. With tendrils that spread far and wide, Ensnaring that which once had thrived; Malevolence in every seed, You suffocate us with your need. Your selfish aim now … Read more
Your yellow petals shine with amber glow, And glisten in the cool autumnal breeze; Yet whilst I love the golden arcs you throw, It is not me you try so hard to please. Then when the solar light is viewed just so, Your petals spark a ghostly, violet glow; A spectacle that I will … Read more
Your search for energy you can’t suppress, Looking for particles of light on waves. A perfect quantum engine you possess, Your search for energy you can’t suppress. Entangled in the wet chaotic mess, As light is trapped forever as your slaves. Your search for energy you can’t suppress, Looking for particles of light on waves. … Read more
The nightshade is a plant locked in a war, They keep their pollen under lock and key From pollen thieves who try to hit their score, Committing acts of pollen burglary. Who would have thought this from the humble bee, It’s black and yellow stripes a warning sign That they ignore the nightshade’s desperate plea. … Read more