The following poem was written by Kennedy Ervin, a New Tech High School student. It was one of the winning pieces from a highly successful creative climate action contest entitled, “Our Future Is in Your Hands.” Emily Bit and Alisa Karesh, co-presidents of the Napa Schools for Climate Action, planned and carried out the event. It attracted more than 75 countywide student entries of artwork and written pieces (including one video game), using the theme, “How do you feel about climate change?” Several members of the community, including members of the Napa Sierra Club, NVUSD, and Napa Climate Now, were judges in the event. Also, the students raised over $2500 in prizes for the contestants. We hope to be publishing several more of these incredible artistic/activistic pieces soon.
“Protect Your Mother”
a Poem by Kennedy Ervin
New Tech HS, Grade 11
Fresh air, smoke and fires. Old growth trees, tractor tires.
Open your curtains, see Her dancing on the edge,
Open your window, see the greasy hands pulling at Her gown.
Open your door, see Her glowing, like obsidian in the flesh.
Beautiful being, trees growing from Her shoulders, flowers in Her curls.
She stands strong, their grip grows stronger.
Her ledge is crumbling, surrounded.
Step outside, smell the oil and soot.
The oceans in Her eyes are murky. Filthy air suffocates all that She is.
Her ledge is crumbling, run to Her.
The air is black.
The Mother of Mothers cries scorching tears, they burn down Her cheeks,
Into Her breast. Run to her.
The viscous hands swindle and shake, Crafted not by the Mother,
They were born of war, plastic, violence, and greed.
Rose up from Her flesh, bubbling and spreading death.
Bare feet sticking to the ground, your voice is hoarse and small.
If nothing is wrong, why can I see the alarms?
If nothing can be done, why can I see the solutions?
The greasy hands corrupt to soil, so break their fingers.
You are not alone,
Your feet are not stuck.
Soar like the birds, your Mother lives in you.
She lives in the fires and snow and wind and soil.
It hurts to watch, so scream.
Do not let Her crumble, do not let the monsters take Her away.
(Kennedy continues) We do not have the time for our political leaders and local billionaires to sell our futures for power and personal gain. We cannot allow those in positions of power who have become corrupted to greenwash their black hearted deals, We see their greasy handshakes, We smell their spoiled breath. Protect your mother. She lives inside all of us, in the clouds, soil, and rain. She inhabits every animal and tree. We can no longer turn our backs on our mother, the time has come for us to stand as one, to be the change, the change that we need to see in the world, before 2030.
April 6, 2021