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Broken Promise

Can we turn things around?

By Barb DukemanPublished 2 years ago 1 min read
This is our world

We make a solemn promise

Taking care of that we found

We must consider we were calmest,

Forgetful as we came unbound

Nature takes its familiar course

We try in vain to reconstruct as

Mountains split the sea with force

A result of what we did unlock

Our careless ways turned land to ruin

We forgot our place among the living

Slowly watching futures loosen

We took too much instead of giving

When we reach the turning point

Hands outstretched to find the edge

Our splintered palms, bleeding, joined

A shadow of our former pledge

fact or fictionnature poetrysad poetrysocial commentary

About the Creator

Barb Dukeman

I have three books published on Amazon if you want to read more. I have shorter pieces (less than 600 words at https://barbdukeman.substack.com/. Subscribe today if you like what you read here or just say Hi.

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Comments (3)

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  • T. Licht2 years ago

    Love this poem!!! Great work

  • Joe O’Connor2 years ago

    I like the subtle references to the way humans treat the earth, and this is a powerful and topical message for today’s world! I liked this line “We try in vain to reconstruct”, as you do get a different meaning on the reverse read. Nice😊

  • Shirley Belk2 years ago

    Yes! We have to start doing better!

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