Vulnerability
(from Endless Circles)
by Jackie Fa’asisila
I can feel
The sweat upon my brow
As days grow warmer and warmer
Greens turn to brown
Parched lands thirst for rain
Farmers struggle
To make subsistence meet
Fishers fear
Coral bleaches: species disappear
I can feel
Winds and rain lash out
Death and destruction in their wake
The intensity of floods, cyclones and tsunamis
Strong and frequent
Fear planted in the minds of young ‘uns
Desperation in the hearts of the old
Change brought about by man’s action
Always wanting more, easier, better
Choices impact others in a far off sea
Snatch lives and homelands
Fill hearts with fear
Disasters now so common
Almost every year
Global warning
Climate change
Vulnerability