Students of the Anthropocene

A poem I wrote inspired by the youth uprising around the world on Friday, 15th March 2019. Unfortunately ABC news Tasmania did not bother to show us that 1.5 million students went on strike in more than 2000 locations in 123 countries on that day. Including over 100,000 marching in Milan (Italy) and Montreal (Canada). 

Students of the Anthropocene

by Susan Austin

we concern ourselves with today as well as those pesky tomorrows

as much as we try, we fail to placate the advancing sea,

the flourish of coal-defending mockery in our highest halls enrages

for decades you marketed the system as natural,

with in-built mechanisms for righting itself

but the climate changes, ecosystems scream in the face of all you say

take your slogans of fairness with you as you retreat

we know the size of the pie you smuggled

behind your video-monitored double gates

we’re led by the young who teach themselves the science

we down tools, pens, don’t log in today

we storm the streets and send you on your apocalyptic way.