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June 17, 2021 By Paul Maidowski Leave a Comment

Byrd Glacier, Antarctica, photo by USGS
is it worse so much worse than I think as you say
may well be yet I hope and now seek genuine souls
in this world who can show we can trust that a train
in free fall off the cliffs will reverse in mid-air just in time 

what you said touched the world so I hope I can trust
that you write what we need that you feel where to lead
find the words to change minds show a path to me now
as I dream panic now change yourself change the world just in time 

can it be even worse so much worse than you say
it may be so we play bend the words fish for facts
fight our fears knowing well what remains of the bridge
that was there in the void all things fall as they say panta rhei 

I can feel what you mean when we hear the same bells
ringing peace through the night while we taste the cold air
on your skin in the dark and we tremble with decay
who are these pale blue kids’ dying dance bend and shiver in the rain 

they look fear in the eye feel what change they must work
as they ask who will care just in time panta rhei
where were they when the train followed tracks where are we who am I
ashen-faced pale blue ghosts will you know 

This we will soon understand 

what you wrote touched the world yet you chose your words well all too
well all I know is that you’re still in pain
all those words still unsaid too much locked inside there
left unsaid floating there in mid-air like the train 

I don’t know what to say can we start all again start to fly back in time panta rhei 

while we race off the tracks in dark night falling free
being good at our game is too slow far too late
so which game will we play will you rewrite the rules
face the darkness within drag it forth into light shall we try 

now what comes may well come 
yet the rules have they changed 
something changed this is sure 
panta rhei 
 
This we will soon undertake

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Filed Under: Poetry

About Paul Maidowski

Paul Maidowski is a full-time climate activist from Berlin. Formerly, he has completed postgraduate education at Tufts University's Fletcher School, studied international relations in Dresden and Beijing, and worked stints in U.N. climate negotiations and the renewables sector.

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