After the Bureaucratic Meeting

After the Bureaucratic Meeting

dried salmon, raw apple, hand-picked blackberries,
a few honest words circling wood fire
followed by silent glow
for people who crave real food.

Everyone here knows
our dreams tell us
we put too many limits on ourselves to
see, feel, think, do.

Maybe there’s a song so ancient
it makes all stop to listen
who we really are, and could be,
in this time of dread

as fires rage, villages flood,
hurricanes scream, millions of people
and other animals flee
for better places.

If someone doesn’t sing it soon,
most will die. 

I'm grateful to people all over the world who participated in "Hosting & Facilitating a Climate Café " offered by Climate Psychology Alliance July 12, 2022. I heard many honest words from those bringing their best gifts to the table, or in process of doing so. Regarding the "song" idea in my above poem, I like "Brave" by Sara Bareilles. This is not an easy thing to do in meetings or conversations, especially about climate issues. In a related matter, a big congratulations to my former landlord on his 102nd birthday! I recall he said about my first book Industrial Oz published in 2015, "Scott, if you read these poems, you're going to jail."