clear day flood

There was a contest of will
between mankind and the sea;
in frozen layers, time
held a secret security- it kept waters cool and low.

Beyond man's reach, it seemed,
each year the white ice rose from the deep blue sea
covering land and other waters
unseen by test of any human memory.

The bet went on, and man
unfurled wings of movement.
Dependent on burning and dumping into the air
billions joined the cavalcade;
few took the time to care
what they did-- how it built upon itself.

When industry decided it was king
and could make ruins of any and all things
to fuel its need for greed;
there came time to burn without limit.

So the magic was cast-- there would never be
a limit, we burn as we please and the world will bend
until we say enough.
 We have burned and
the world kept its promise to hold all of the gifts
come of greed- in air, water, and soils; it held all.
The warnings rose without seduction
crystal clear by any measure we made;
we simply had to settle on the plain induction of truth
or the winding road of self-deceit. So it was easy,
self-deceit it was, and those few and true
could only wait and watch.
The small minds with limitless wealth  turned
ignorance into man's greatest gift to the world.

Now... we have wet shoes and brilliant sunsets
the coastlines have begun to merge
with the consequences of our urgent urges-- we burned
and now we have wet toes
and our dry ankles know  the wisdom of the past
We have burned  and now we will see...wet knees.

Scoffing at the rising tides, clear day flood,
first, comes to streets and cities near the tides.
Soon, they come for all of us. Admit or deny
words will be wet...for the world is at one;
unconvinced of its credulity, in denial
they now hurl words blank confusion
a form of internally combusted stupidity
that,  like the dry taste of truth...
does not impress the rising seas.