Martin Powell is a socially engaged, young poet who challenges us profoundly and blows away all our cobwebs. Here we present his poem Global Warning which featured at the beginning of the CNN/YouTube Climate Debate in 2009. He has written and performed poems for Resurgence events and conferences and is a rising star in poetry circles.

Global Warning

Tsunamis sweeping across the deep seas

Hurricanes howling with deafening breeze

Earthquakes shaking our tectonic plates

Volcanoes erupting round Earth as it breaks

Dinosaurs died and allowed humans to stand

Millions of years changed the face of the land

A new world was born and with life it did flourish

Enough natural resources to keep us all nourished

For a long time the humans and Earth were as one

We drank from its rivers, bathed in light from the sun

The soil was rich, and ideal for seeds

The planet attended to all of our needs

But Earth for its pleasures could not comprehend

The mentality of its so newly found friend

We used and consumed without fear, or care

We scarred and we butchered a beauty so rare

Poisoning oceans and chopping down trees

Relaying landscapes to build as we pleased

Taking for granted our grand evolution

Seeds that were planted replaced by pollution

Have you not wondered why it’s so called Mother Earth?

Throughout all of history it has given birth!

This bluish green ball gently floating through space

Has potential for life quite like no other place

It gives and it gives and has nothing to ask

To treat it with love and respect is our task

For the moment the future we can’t comprehend

Is the world that we know may soon come to an end

But there is still some time to undo what’s been done

Requiring our species to all act as one

With wind turbines turning and running on air

Solar panels sourcing our sun’s constant glare

We could cut our emissions and clean up with care

Make it our mission to heal and repair

Salvage and save for all that its worth

Secure our existence as people of Earth

Global Warning © Martin James Powell 2008

To read more of Martin's poems visit: martinpowellpoetry.blogspot.com/ Or watch Martin read a selection of poems here: youtube.com/user/spokenwordnerd

Martin Powell is a poet, based in Devon.