'The Fire Was Too Hot' by Donna M Day

 When it was too late, they cried.

 

When they still had time, they drank coffee stirred with bamboo spoons from styrofoam cups.

 

When they first noticed, they encouraged recycling and made it as difficult as possible.

 

When they didn’t know better, they flew further than birds in winter.

 

When they embraced industry, they drank, smoked, snorted, swallowed and multiplied.

 

When they embraced war, they cowered and hid from bombs they dropped.

 

When they embraced coal, they coughed up black dust and died young.

 

When they moved to cities, they crammed the poor into workhouses and prison ships.

 

When they lived in villages, they held public balls for husband hunters.

 

When they lived on farms, they perished if the rain dried up.

 

When they wore codpieces and farthingales, men hunted animals and women hunted husbands.

 

When they wore suits of armour, they played at fighting.

 

When they wore animal skins, they found fire.

 

When they found fire, they killed.

 

Before they killed, they lived.

 

Before they lived, they were born.

 

When they were born, they cried.