Environmentalist Poem

This is a de facto companion poem to "Orange Crush." There's a kind of anti-human, self-loathing that often creeps into environmentalist activities. I wrote this poem to help combat this state of affairs.


Environmentalist Poem


We must admit that the purple and pink streaks
of an L.A. smog sunset
are beautiful

despite what they represent

And that the 405-freeway traffic contains music—
like a subtly shifting La Monte Young
composition—
grind and drone and strange
flashes
of emptiness

Nor should we deny that out of the toxicity
of Monet’s paints
still grow
sublime gardens
that cannot
be touched
though poets
touch them
everyday

We must acknowledge
that humans have a place in the world
even as we try to rein in our
foolishness and move
deeper into
this
beautiful beautiful
game

We must learn to love ourselves,
in other words,
before we can
truly
love
the
great
living
dying
amazing
whole