Why I ask is it that we choose to destroy,
Leaving vast swaths of land ravaged,
Acres of ocean uninhabitable,
Water unfit for consumption,
Farms barren of life-giving crops,
Forests clear cut for human development
Exploitation of the gifts given to mankind,
Simply…I do not know!
Why is it that we deny the evidence,
Oceans rising to previously unrecorded levels,
Temperatures, the hottest in history,
Storms, perfect and oh so deadly,
Property destroyed and lives lost,
Still we refuse to believe,
Why–I do not know!
Why is it that we allow ourselves to be victims,
Plagued by profiteers,
Suffocated by our government,
Tolerant of our polarization,
Blind to our abuses,
Living as pawns to the powerful,
Yet we choose to ignore,
Why, I haven’t a clue!
Why we have allowed this to happen, I do not know,
We have become complacent,
Allowing our fellows to trample our dreams,
Stifling that which is our destiny
Instead of finding common ground,
Leaving us more distant than ever.
I wish I knew how to fix the ills of this world,
But I do not!
I like you, am only a temporary inhabitant,
Borrowing my time in this life.
Why must we destroy this precious world
Poisoning ourselves and those we love
With words and chemicals?
Material gain and profit are fleeting like this existence.
Shouldn’t we endeavor to make the most of what we’ve been given?
Isn’t this what it means to be human,
To use what we need leaving the rest for our future?
Perhaps I am naive,
A dreamer,
Or just hopeful,
But I must believe that it is not too late
For man to overcome his arrogance and greed.
~
~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~
Dom DiFrancesco 
I don’t know or understand why either…..successful quiet lessons in greed don’t help
Terribly sad
I don’t know if I ever will understand it, but I will keep trying. Thank you for taking the time to read my poem.
and I really hope you’re right.
Thank you Gilly, I really hope so.
I do not know the answer to these questions. I think people are too concerned about the now and consumed with wanting, wanting, wanting regardless of what it does to the world – how it is obtained or created. A great piece – I love how you make me think;) your work is so full of substance and social value. xx
Thank you Kimberly, I have been in a very social/political mood lately as I am disgusted with what is going on in the world and more specifically our part in creating it. I’m very glad that you like it and that it helps you think. I write most of these types of poems to make me think and try to make some sense (if possible) out of the chaos of this world.
I love this, Dom….I am as hopeful as you
It’s nice to know I am not alone, thank you so much my friend. 🙂
I think we are too quick to answer our deep questions. We loose touch with awe and wonder, vulnerability and uncertainty.
I agree with you completely my friend, thank you.