Earth Day 2022

Posted on 2022/04/26 by Bartholomew Barker

For today’s prompt (the final Two-for-Tuesday prompt of the month), write a love and/or anti-love poem.

Earth Day 2022
for Wynn Bruce

You sacrificed yourself
for us— for all of us
outside the Supreme Court

While we drove our hybrids
wrote letters to the editor
signed online petitions

You became a metaphor
for the planet
you set yourself on fire

You burned and you died
hoping to prevent that fate
from befalling us

I love your courage
I hate that you had to do it
and I fear it will not matter

About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry lovers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit.
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13 Responses to Earth Day 2022

  1. JeanMarie says:
    2022/04/26 at 20:48

    Oh dear God. How horrible, sad, frustrating. You did a nice job on the tribute but damn….

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. (Gypsie) Ami Offenbacher-Ferris says:
    2022/04/26 at 21:18

    Yes, well said. Sadly, only those that care are affected by his sacrifice … it’s the ones that do not …. that should. 🙏

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. yourplateormine967244485 says:
    2022/04/26 at 21:57

    Thank you for your tribute. 😔

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. pensivepoetblog says:
    2022/04/26 at 23:14

    For all of us outside the Supreme Court. Stunning Tribute to one of our Martyrs. Those last three ending lines and that final one just ripped me.

    I believe all sacrifice matters.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  5. pensivepoetblog says:
    2022/04/26 at 23:23

    It’s the intention that matters. It’s matter too or it’s energy that can become matter. You know what I mean. Relativity and all that.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. equipsblog says:
    2022/04/27 at 07:12

    That powerful poem is sadly accurate. How much bigger a gesture can a person make than to die for a belief?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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