The Emotional Orphan

Watching the bright spinning suns that indicate

extreme heat and drought nationwide on the news weather map,

he giggles and asks,  “what are those things Daddy Jack?”

Lessons in ecology and meteorology sometimes come so simply.

I explain Mother Nature is pissed off.

She likes her temperature regulated.

It’s a delicate balance.

She chokes on our smoke and toxins

cycling from ground to air to ground and sea.

She feels she has lost control.

She despises dinosaur blood fuel

that makes everything go faster, faster

killing the fishes and the seas.

She hates the people vacationing in Hawaii

don’t enjoy the beach as much

because of juice boxes, and water bottles

that go twice around the world, to end up

where surfers, whales and boats used to play.

She is so angry we have

torn down the walls between heaven and earth

that sometimes she sends down angry spinning suns

that alert us from TV to beware.

He laughs and says “Daddy Jack,

that is silly, you made that up.”

He has my eyes and I want them back.

He smiles and bargains,

”for a juice box before supper”

I can have them.

I know that is silly, and that he made that up.