The Writing on the Wall

Republican leaders bemoan the idea

Of leaving their children huge debt.

Therefore, the thought of loans and deficits

Makes them break out in a sweat.

One thing about their concern for their children

Strikes me as very strange:

It's ALL about dollars and figures, of course,

And not about climate change.

Concern for the future is commendable

And makes a lot of sense.

But lowering the debt at the expense of the world

Is a deadly recompense.

I'm not a pessimist; nonetheless,

If I were the town crier,

I'd yell at the top of my voice, "Beware,

Climate change denier!"

You don't have to be a rocket scientist

To recognize mankind's hand

In helping to raise the temperature on Earth.

How much can we withstand?

Though unpreventable, a rise in temperature

Could be temporary

If we act now; otherwise,

The outlook's extremely scary.

Slashing greenhouse-gas emissions

Is a worthy cause.

Let's also encourage clean-energy development

With conscientious laws.

The U.S. and China--the TWO largest

Carbon-polluters around--

Could make a huge difference by leaving

Most fossil fuel in the ground.

Fracking releases methane gas,

More potent than CO₂.

Halting or transforming the fracking process

Wouldn't be hard to do.

The world can achieve renewable energy

With an effort that's united.

Failure to do so would be careless

AND extremely shortsighted.

Say, “STOP complaining about science and debt

And ignoring what will befall

Our kids and grandkids if we ignore

The writing on the wall.”

(11-17-15) By Bob B