It’s getting closer to home now: easy to ignore unliveable wet bulb temperatures in the Indus Valley, perhaps, but when whole towns are decimated just down the road in Germany, even the ears of the deaf start to prick up. Still want your pipeline now, Angela?
Meanwhile, across the Channel, the new Health Secretary has Covid. Now Boris will have to self-isolate or break his own rules, just like his previous Health Secretary who broke his own rules in order to grope his aide.
Joking apart, it looks like this shit’s getting serious. Weep at the world? I’m too busy laughing at its hypocrisy. No, I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
There may not be oysters to eat for too much longer, but bear in mind that knives have other uses…
Written for dVerse
Tonight, Lisa is hosting Prosery, and has asked us to include the following line:
‘No, I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.’
–Zora Neale Hurston, from “How Does it Feel to be Colored Me” in World Tomorrow (1928)
Zora Hurston (b.1891-d.1960) was a world-renowned writer and anthropologist. Hurston’s
novels, short stories, and plays often depicted African American life in the South. Her work in
anthropology examined black folklore. Hurston influenced many writers, forever cementing
her place in history as one of the foremost female writers of the 20th century.
You can find out more about her in Lisa’s post.
I took the line as a springboard to examine current affairs. In the ultimate irony, the German floods hit on the same day as Merkel and Biden were discussing an 11-billion dollar gas pipeline deal, their only concern seemingly the possible Russian misuse of the pipeline. No mention of the problems of releasing still more fossil fuel emissions into an already carbon-saturated atmosphere.
And here’s a quote from a report of the flooding:
‘RWE, Germany’s largest power producer, said on Saturday its opencast mine in Inden and the Weisweiler coal-fired power plant were affected, adding that the plant was running at lower capacity after the situation stabilised. The utility expects damages will to cost millions to repair.’
Should we be repairing such damaged and damage-causing systems? And why are these questions not being asked, when it is already too late for so many?
The title of this piece comes from Bob Dylan, in a song which is not strictly related to the writing, but has to do with social injustice, which we are sure to see more of as the worst effects of the climate crisis take hold. What sentence will be handed out to the major polluters, and the politicians who are in their pockets? Will this be the time for our tears?
You have done a wonderful job with this prompt. I love your story … much too real for comfort… but very well written!
Dwight
Thank you Dwight 🙏 I try not to write when I’m angry, but it’s hard not to be angry sometimes!
Tears will not stop Covid 19. Adhering to healty precautions and protocols will. Be ye Prince or Pauper
Happy Monday
Much💜love
True indeed! Please tell that to the MPs who think they are exempt from the rules…❤️
Yes, you are right about that!
This is incredibly potent! No doubt the world is laced with lies, slander and hypocrisy- what’s worse is that the ones wielding these so called weapons don’t even find anything wrong with it, let alone care about the consequences of their actions. May we sharpen our knives with precision and fight them head on ❤️❤️
Thank you Sanaa: glad to have you along for the fight ❤️🙏
Ingrid, I love the title of your prosery as I’m quite familiar with Bob’s song about murder victim, Hattie Carroll. This is the 2nd time I’ve heard of the flooding in Germany in 2 days. Unbelievable they want a fracking pipeline in Germany. It’s madness at this point! Can you imagine what flooding and the objects rolling down with the water would do to a pipeline? I love your last line. Indeed.
It’s absolute madness and I feel we should point this out at every available opportunity! Even if we stop now, things will get much worse before they get better, but at least we will have a chance!
P.S. I realise I got the quote credit wrong, so I’ve amended that, sorry! I need to slow down sometimes 😬
I watched some videos someone linked the other day showing what would happen if humans disappeared from the planet instantly. It showed that, despite some bad things happening right away (nuclear power plant meltdowns being the worst) that it wouldn’t take long for the planet to go wild again.
I didn’t even notice about the quote credit! Glad you saw it.
Just look at Chernobyl where nature is thriving now! Not that I’m in any hurry to leave the planet 😳
Shatteringly real, Ingrid, and I love the ties that bind this together through the past in the quote and the present in the eyes of the news.
Thank you Jaya. I feel we are letting down future generations with our present (in)actions!
I feel like this is a continuation of your poem from earlier today. It is tragic what is happening, and one can feel your outrage and passion. I think someone used that same Dylan song once–maybe Lisa. 😀
I actually wrote this one first, but you’re right, it’s the same idea! I think I remember Lisa using the song 😊
Great write! Sadly, I think the flooding in Germany is just the beginning. The ending is so ominous here, a wise call to action‼
Yes, I think so too, even if we stop all emissions today, it will get worse. The consequences of continuing as we are now are unthinkable.
So timely. We read in horror about the devastating floods in Germany and neighboring countries. So sad to read that Bad Munstereifel was one of the town hit hard by floods. It is where my daughter lived with a family for her 11th year of high school as a Congress Bundestag Scholarship Exchange Student. Extreme temperatures; extreme amounts of rain; wildfires and floods…..mother earth has finally had enough of our disregard for her health. Very very sad and frightening.
I don’t think anywhere is safe now. We have one perfectly habitable planet and we’ve done a fine job messing that up!
Well written Ingrid. Told like it is! This world is in deep sh_t. We here in the USA are sending our kids back to the classroom, adults sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at big events, people flocking back into restaurants and movie theaters. masks now considered a thing of the past if you are “vaccinated”. Meanwhile, the Delta Variant of COVID is quietly growing in strength, building for a full global assault. Medical experts admit they are not “certain” if a vaccine booster (which currently does not exist) will be needed to protect even we early vaccinated from Delta. All the while the world is flooding and burning. But everything is just “fine”. 😱
Rob, my thoughts exactly. I know people are just itching to get back to normalcy, but that’s long gone for now. I see so many without masks, I’m like, “What are you thinking??” Vaccines aren’t 100% effective of course, and they definitely do provide protection, but catching Covid is still a possibility. Remember those first few months when people were literally wiping down their groceries with Lysol? What happened to that mentality? It’s almost as if people don’t care anymore and just want this over with already.
Which I can get, but dang, you’re not Superman. You can still get sick. Nothing is normal anymore, and we can’t live in denial.
Sorry for the long thought, but yes, I agree with you so much on this.
‘Nothing is normal anymore’ – you’re right, and I don’t think ‘going back to normal’ is an option.
If all of these variants are allowed to thrive, they could mutate into something even more deadly too. But I think most deadly of all is our ignorance as a species!
Wow–Rob’s comment is like a synopsis of my poem. So many of us on the same page and wave length. Weeping at times is fine, but this world at present will brook no cry babies.
Yes, now is the time for whatever disaster mitigation measures we can take!
Powerful, poignant, and perhaps most importantly – relevant. I love the scathing rhetoric and the underlying threat of the inevitable. Nicely done.
Thank you Masa. I can’t help but be scathing when it comes to such matters, really.
There speaks a woman with a cause! Well done Ingrid 🙂 Some of this just makes your blood boil doesn’t it?
Yes, it does rather! Thank you Christine 😊
I hear you, hear you loud and clear! Is there a corner of our world immune from what you have exquisitely described? No.
I don’t think so, Helen, unfortunately.
Profound and poignant!
Thank you Mary 😅
I meant to put: 🙏
Yeah, this hits hard. I am thoroughly disappointed by how we still remain ignorant of our impact on the world and nature. Our impact on the world will impact us, just as it’s happening. This is poignant and definitely relevant as you refer to modern events. It’s crazy to think about in a way, we could be doing so much more but we aren’t. It’s saddening.
“Now Boris will have to self-isolate or break his own rules, just like his previous Health Secretary who broke his own rules in order to grope his aide.”
I feel bad for laughing at this, but the bluntness in it is like the cherry on top.
Thank you Lucy. I tried to include some graveyard humour!
I love the bitterness in this. It’s palpable. And it resonates with me like a gamelan gong. Great use of the prompt!!
‘Like a gamelan gong’ – I love it, thanks for that 😊
😁
Your anger and frustration so palpable, Ingrid. May we always use words as weapons against all that is wrong. ❤️
The pen is mightier than the sword, as the saying goes!
Indeed.
Your summation of current affairs really hits home – no holds barred here. We are in such a mess 😢 😡.
Unfortunately yes! 😳
This is sad and dark, Ingrid, but you had me chuckling!
Indeed!
<3
David
I like to add a dash of wry humour, even when the situation is deadly serious!
Your dark humor works so well here, Ingrid. Dang the hypocrisies and lies we have to gulp because this is the world we live.
So timely with current events. The political world is a different animal to deal with.
Indeed it is!
Well done Ingrid. It’s the blind leading the blind now. (K)
I think so!
Captivating and hard hitting from its beginning to its end in dire warning, that final line giving pause. Bravo, Ingrid!!
Thank you Raivenne! I’m not about to go and stab anyone with anything other than words, but perhaps words are our most important weapon…
There is a reason “the pen is mightier than…” exists…
Excellent use of the prompt. I love your insightful commentary on current affairs.
Thank you Darius!
You’re most welcome
This is brilliant, Ingrid. And a “Pow!” right in the kisser write. I loved this. It is a horrid state of affairs happening the world over.
Thank you Dale! I laugh to keep from crying…
I feel you, Ingrid!
loved your jab and the stab in words right where it was needed. Touche!!!
Perhaps you should send this direct!👏👏👏
To whom? Angela? Or Boris 😂
Throw them all under the bus!
Boris has his own bus, so that’s perfect!
for the love of….
Things are really heating up everywhere. Perhaps people understand the issue more now?
I think they are starting to become more concerned. I hope that doesn’t mean it’s too late!
A powerful write, Ingrid. I am with you 100%. We humans seem to learn nothing, continue making the same mistakes as if the outcomes will be different the second, third, fourth time around. Makes me think of another song (Pete Seeger): when will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?
I do wonder! Thank you 😊
Powerful message here Ingrid!
Thank you Linda 🙏
Ingrid, your voice of knowing and reason, wrapped in sharp edginess is quite impressive. Awesome post!
Thank you Michele! 🙏❤️
wow Ingrid, you’re on fire … to weave all this in one short post is most skilful!
Just read your interview on Spillwords, impressive 🙂
Thank you Kate 😊
most welcome