We have been told again and again
in all kinds of languages
modern, ancient
written, oral
rhyme, prose
urban, rural
scientific, plain English
lingua, tongue
spoken word, sign
cartoons, paintings
in times of heat, in times of cold
in times of draught, in times of floods
in times of fires, in times of melts
our ears unable to see
our eyes unable to hear
prophecy to our grasshopper play
is terrifying
is not, Rachel Carson
The way this builds is so effective. At first it seems simple, but it’s deceptively so, the further I read, the more I am captured by the repetition and ideas.