The whole green sky is dying.The last tree flares <br />With a great burst of supernatural rose <br />Under a canopy of poisonous airs. <br /> <br />Could we imagine our return to prayers <br />To end in time before time's final throes, <br />The green sky dying as the last tree flares? <br /> <br />But we were young in judgement, old in years <br />Who could make peace; but it was war we chose, <br />To spread its canopy of poisoning airs. <br /> <br />Not all our children's pleas and women's fears <br />Could steer us from this hell.And now God knows <br />His whole green sky is dying as it flares. <br /> <br />Our crops of wheat have turned to fields of tares. <br />This dreadful century staggers to its close <br />And the sky dies for us, its poisoned heirs. <br /> <br />All rain was dust.Its granules were our tears. <br />Throats burst as universal winter rose <br />To kill the whole green sky, the last tree bare <br />Beneath its canopy of poisoned air.<br /><br />Carolyn Kizer<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/on-a-line-from-val-ry-the-gulf-war/
