Park Bench Tales and other writings

Thoughts and writings reflecting the poet within and the activist


Leave a comment

The Elements

The Elements

Out of the darkness and chaos had come order

From the swirling dust clouds of the heavens

From the violence of supernova remains

All seemed to make sense on a blue sphere

That swung round in an orbit safe from a sun

That also drove a pattern of life that evolved

Now the sky is fog-darkened above a glow

Where the blazing earth is slowly destroyed

Chaos has returned nature is bleeding in death

Ashes now swirl in heavens high above

Embers wreaking havoc wherever they land

Descending to end a life upon charred soil

We flee the devil we created for ourselves

Winds thundering through canyons unchecked

Driving all before a great wall of flames

Constellations no longer seen in night skies

Though the sound of terror still remains

In an inferno created by humankind

Do you believe this to be seeded by a deity

That the fire is but a ritual of punishment

Or has this force been ignited by ourselves

Water where art thou in this need

The rage of tempest brings only flames

The patterns of a thousand years stained

Humans in ignorance declared themselves gods

Their filth and greed had become the divine

Now nature declares you will not rule

There is no great image above the clouds

Ready to offer you a life in some paradise

There are only flames coming to claim

Copyright: David Hopcroft January 2025


Leave a comment

Image non encadrée 3

Image non encadrée 3

Ciel rouge sous la fumée et la poussière

Jours déguisés en crépuscule

La luxure du feu

Cuire la croûte

De terre desséchée

Un cimetière de terre brûlée

Cendres sur le visage

D’une planète mourante

Où la poussière est le linceul

Les cerfs s’enfuient le long de la piste

Visages de peur

Cri du corbeau dans le ciel

‘Fuyez ou vous mourrez’

Personne ne pouvait se souvenir

La dernière pluie

Les forêts sont comme du bois de chauffage

Prêt pour la flamme

Alors que le monde devenait fou

Dévastation apportée

Par ignorance et avidité

Jusqu’à la planète bleue

Ne pouvait plus être vu

‘Ce n’ est pas le changement climatique’

Dit l’homme

L’homme qui a jeté son mégot de cigarette

De son gros camion rouge

Copyright : David Hopcroft mai 2019


6 Comments

Keep the home fires burning

Keep the home fires burning

Smoke rises in the distance

Where I know the fire is still raging

The flames being fanned by the fresh wind

The charred timbers of the house are still smouldering

Scorched earth all that remains

Of a garden once overflowing with flowers

A burned out car stands in the driveway

The child safety seat frame in the back

I wonder did they all make it out in time

Looking out across the valley

The same scene is repeated a thousand times

There were prayers in churches for rain that never came

Deities cannot undo free will

The satellite pictures reveal more devastation

Around the world

Deserts are forming where once flourished habitation

Humans escaped

Leaving cattle goats and sheep to their fate

The stench of burning flesh hangs in the air

I wonder how much we care

Climate boiling is on the horizon

I listen for the cries

We need to help them but we need more oil and gas

We need to help but I can’t give up my car

We need to help but right now I need that holiday

We’re jetting off around the world at last

I don’t want those wind farms near me

They spoil the view from the golf course

Those solar panels look so unsightly

Right now the war has to be the priority

Help? Yes but what about the value of my shares

Don’t worry about the now

We’ve plans to reach net zero

Once we’ve postponed the date

There is no debate

Bloody hypocrites are we all

Copyright: David Hopcroft July 2023

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started