In my dream
last leaves curled brown
and spoke
400 parts per million…
hot sparks fly
from an unstoppable train
lifting dust spirals
clogging brake lines.
somber suited heads
sign treaties
ponder mercury advances
equatorial forests drying
salt waters rising…
tomorrow is now.
∼
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently announced that for 2015 the average concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was 400 ppm (parts per million), a new high and well beyond 350 ppm, the safe level recommended by James Hansen and other scientists.
My poem is a quadrille in response to WMO’s news and dVerse Quadrille #19.
©2016 ontheland.wordpress.com
Ontheland 
When nature speaks, we need to listen.
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Yes we do.
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Another powerful piece of poetry Janice. You are moving closer towards a book!!
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Thank you Denis 🙂
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Love it when I learn somethin’ when I read. 🙂 Thanks, Janice!
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According to our feckless leaders, climate change is a myth.
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Not all politicians seek to ignore science but yes there is an astounding number who do.
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I wonder if a deep global recession would stop the unstoppable train?
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When production slows so do carbon emissions or at least the rate of increase so in that respect a recession might not be a bad thing. I’m no economist but growth and more growth is really unsustainable…..thanks for your comment…whether serious or with a wink 🙂
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Such a powerful, beautiful and tragic statement of truths. 🌹
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Thanks Dorna … I was going to evade the tragedy part but it’s true— people and wildlife are already suffering (or dead) because of climate change. Climate change isn’t a tomorrow issue.
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I absolutely agree. 🙂
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We need to believe… we need to change.
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Yes the knowledge is out there as to what is happening to earth’s atmosphere, oceans, polar ice, weather systems and the ways we have created these changes…for me belief enters the picture when we believe in our ability to make changes and that is possibly what you meant but I just wanted to clarify. Thanks for reading 🙂
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tomorrow is now – as now is the time to act and change what we can before it is too late.
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Absolutely 🙂
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Great poem with a powerful message. Well done 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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I wish and I hope for this as our planet is dying. Good timely message Janice!
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Thanks Grace.
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That’s no dream, that’s a nightmare! Also – that’s no dream, that’s real. 😦
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Yes it’s all real sadly. It’s hard to digest that there is so much to be done and our efforts are so meagre in comparison.
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