ISLANDS IN THE SEA

 

 We the billions of souls on the planet,
not manipulating markets
and planning trips to St Moritz,
are the seas. Treading water,  
attempting to survive, praying
(just as taught)
to swim to some hoped for “better place.” 

There used to be a promise,
a dream of life earned, safe.
But there has always been owners
and the rest, us...
That upward dream drowned in calm seas
where our dying is still not hard to accomplish
or very notable. 

And when they own all of the carbon,
burn through all of the forests,
flood the valleys of the mountains;
they will have finally finished
establishing their islands
in high, dry and isolated
 separation from the seas. 

We, the sea, live to provide so we can survive.
Labor, entertainment, pleasure, service
until the algorithm finishes
taking our measure…
entering on the sand washed up from the sea,
they have me build a wall so they won’t see
 AI has learned is here now, replacing me.

MDurfee
1/19/2026