A Promise to Mother

Content warnings: sickness, death, human extinction, allusion to global warming

Author's Note: This poem was brought to you by human-exacerbated climate change!

The recent weather phenomena have had my mind whirling. All of my stressors seem to pale in comparison to the events happening around the world due to our current climate change crisis. People seem to have it in the back of their minds, but it should be at the front, in my opinion. Because if we don’t take care of our planet, she won’t give us a place to live anymore. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have anywhere else to go!

You can learn more about current climate updates and news at Climate.Gov

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My mother is sick, and she is dying.
We don’t know how long we have.
Her hands wrinkled with veins,
The years were long for her more than anything.
No matter, she’d say,
We’re still here.
And here we are, at her bedside.

My mother has always been a fighter.
She’s gone through her seasons and changes,
And she always comes out on top.
She fights like no one I’ve ever seen,
I wish I had half of that in me.
Her tears cause hurricanes,
But she’d always say, no matter,
We’re still here.
And here we are, in the dark.

My mother doesn’t know how she hurts me
When she fights this disease.
My awful siblings gave it to her.
Some of us are here to hold her hand,
To brush the hair from her cratered face,
While others smoke cigarettes in her room.
She screams and she fights until they leave,
But that is no matter, she says,
We’re still here.
I’ve cared for you for thousands of years,
And I’m so sorry you must see this.

My mother is killing us all
While she fights for her own life.
We did this to her
And brought this upon ourselves.
Some of us are more guilty than others,
But no matter, she says,
We’re still here.
I can still take care of you.

No, Mother, I think it’s about time
We take care of you now.
She whispers to us,
Maybe I will live to see my grandchildren.
No, Mother, maybe
Your grandchildren will live to see you.
Her tears flow and flood our homes,
Her cries shake mountains.
Sometimes she turns icy cold and shuts us out,
Other times she burns us with her touch,
All to survive.

Mother, I hope this fight never leaves you.
You’ve cared for us too long.

My siblings are egocentric and greedy.
All they care about is your will.
But here in this room,
We will all love you until the end,
And beyond if we’re able.
Your fruits have quenched our thirst,
Your animals have nourished us,
For as long as we’ve lived and longer.

Mother, be selfish and greedy if you must.
And when your body is free of this disease,
You will learn to live like new again.
You have always fought for yourself,
And I know you won’t stop now.
Know that we, in this room,
Love you more than anything.
We won’t be around anymore, Mother,
But no matter,
You’ll still be here.
And if your grandchildren make it through,
I promise they will take better care of you.