The Men Are Killing The Life Of The Air.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

this early morning
i take my walk
on the path leading to the
rice-fields

the men are killing the worms
with Japanese pesticides
the white herons feed on
poison

what else could that be?

the national geographic makes
the news
that eggs of herons easily cracks
and fledgling do not survive

agricultural teachers die
of colon cancer
and the causes remain
undisclosed
there is no cure

for men killing air
for companies making poisons
the herons still fly and catch and
eat the double dead worms

the air is foul and
turn back from the walk
i cannot carry my heart
it is heavier than
steel.