Poem by John Bradburne for Earth Day 2021

As we collectively celebrate Earth Day on the 22nd April 2021 in a unified response to an environmental crisis that we are all facing. We can look to the words in John Bradburne's poetry in the 1970's as being some of the first to notice this crisis.

Let us try and make changes not only for our sakes and future generations, but for the nature, environment and saving and protecting the planet.

Deforestation, 1970 by John Bradburne

The most destructive thing on earth is man

Disparaging his destiny in God,

He roots up forests and his bootless plan

Is concrete roads to speed him under sod;

He ravages the fruitful fields with fast

Measures for getting plenitude at once

Until an ashen countenance is cast

By cleverness that makes of him a dunce;

He flogs the wheatflour free of all its pith

And, making cancer-mixture, calls it bread,

Counting the Resurrection as a myth

He rises not to what befalls the dead:

But rising to the fact of Adam's fall

Too late will not improve estate at all.

LINKS

John Bradburne Memorial Society - www.johnbradburne.com/

John Bradburne Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/channel/UCcGjYYMDHb4vQStf63_PKDg

JBMS poetry website - www.johnbradburnepoems.com/public/home.aspx