Thursday, February 25, 2010

"Almanac" by Primo Levi

"Almanac" by Primo Levi

They'll continue their flow to the sea, the indifferent rivers,
Overwhelming ancient dikes of tenacious men.
The glaciers will continue their grinding and smoothing,
Or crashing down to shorten the lives of firs.
The sea must continue to batter the lands that contain it,
More and more a skinflint with its riches.
Stars and comets continue on their courses;
Earth, too, obeys creation's immutable laws.
But we, rebellious offshoots, ingenious fools,
Destroy and corrupt, always in more of a hurry;
Spreading the desert to the forests of the Amazon;
To the living hearts of our cities; to our very own hearts.

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This poem about modern human indifference to nature and its consequences to individuals really resonates with me after talking to Gene Baur and in thinking about best conduct in a world with climate change.

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