Running From Time
|
Time ticks away,
tick tock, tick tock, tick tock “It's your job to fix it” it is our birthright other people are born into royalty we’re born into climate debt we inherit extinction hurricanes wildfires acidifying ocean we inherit rivers where proud blue glaciers stood Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock it's not entirely a debt that our politicians pooled promising it would bring prosperity this loan was signed before we were born doesn't mean we’re not refinancing Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock fraying plastic piled up on roadsides crumbling at the touch, but still there the ever-growing island adrift ensnaring even the sturdiest of sea life imagine 20 years from now gray reefs, orange oceans, and mirrored skies seas subsuming seaside villages Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock starkly white buzzing overhead lights down one aisle in that store then another and another people too hurried jostle past the plastic-clad items bread wrapped double in plastic bags plastic toothbrushes, cereal contained in paper boxes still wrapped in delicate plastic torn at the slightest sharp edge and carefully resourced bamboo paper products concealed by translucent plastic wrappers Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock like watching an injustice with your mouth mumbling words through your self-inflicted duct tape over your lips not only your words trapped, but your breath tainted by the sour plastic and bitter glue unable to reach up and pull it away for with the same tape, you have trapped your own wrists you placed the tape for fear of making your own life difficult you can't speak to point out that which is guilty I'm not innocent of this either show us a person who is Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock as easy as a breath from the lungs I'm still saying no, maybe I'm claiming that I'm different each claim has become a knife blow the tainted words the knife themselves to scar my lungs and my mind each breath after becomes excruciating Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock the scientists blogs politicians activists teachers yelling in my face “we know how to solve this” chained to bank fronts passionate signs aloft climate activists call for action from those with power and what changes? proffering solutions, but no change with new exciting innovations around each corner because “Hardship breeds innovation!” so how long is the gestation? there's yet to be birth of an implemented solution that could carry us through to the next generation |
Time ticks away
tick tock, tick tock, tick tock the flame of hope. now naught but a lit string of twine steps to success have been identified but who has yet dared walk those steps? attempts to pass resolutions in the senate for this cause fail, leaving the green new deal to rust crumbling to dust to be brushed off the table politicians have the power. we write laws or make waves ideas but no power need but no resource thoughts but no voice Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock they say “Write to your governor, president, senator!” they will fix it all they say is writing the best advice they have? we itch with longing to do more to not have to rely on bureaucratic systems to do something that should have been done yesterday can taking up a pen be the only way to catch the system's attention? or do we march bravely through the streets, hand in hand, beads of sweat on our brows signs in our fists, chanting for a change I’ve seen the patterns would they really listen when clinking coins of big oil fill their polyester pockets and pack their ears still shouting that this could bring prosperity to Americans or anyone else Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock it only takes one person to make that change they say or does it take a movement, a procession of people with passion how am I supposed to get that passion from peers too compelled by ticktock to wake up to the the nearly irreversible changes to our world Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock I live this way, I try to fight for the future I believe in, fight it, how could I ever think of giving up, losing hope? but What does hope matter when the sand has trickled to the bottom of the glass? save the world, all alone my eyes droop, it's hard to keep them open, I’m fighting the tide the world pulling me down with expectation and the crashing suffocating wave of a human lifestyle buy anything you want for in this moment what you want is all that matters. then when your bored add it to the collection in the landfill, to be hidden from your precious eyes arms too heavy to keep me afloat and the despair of drowning this problem is my fault too Time ticks away tick tock, tick tock, tick tock and as the clock winds down we run out of time the chimings are defining, as I am reminded of how late we are we are running from time and they still put it off, put off action do they not see how fast it is progressing? their myopia spurs the clock’s hands even as the sand in the hourglass runs out before the bell has rung and the tipping point is reached we all need a purpose, this is mine. |
For this project, our sophomore class took on the task of solving the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis through Model United Nations. Our task was to write professional resolutions aiming to solve the major problems of the crisis, the crippled government overtaken by the Taliban, refugees, the infringement of women's rights, the collapsed Afghan economy, growing amounts of violence on the streets, and over half the population in danger of starvation. As one of the two chairs of our MUN conference, my first task was to research the overall topic, the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis, to write an in-depth issue brief for the delegates to read. The second main thing I had to do as a chair was to learn and memorize parliamentary procedures so that I could help run the final conference. While the chairs worked on their issue briefs and memorized parliamentary procedures, the delegates, who had each been assigned a country, worked on in-depth research of their country and the country's position on the issue. The work and research accumulated in the final MUN conference. The conference spanned four hours where delegates debated issues, wrote amendments, and finally voted on a final amendment written by Afghanistan, China, and Russia.
|