Last updated on August 28, 2022
We have each become a small world,
spinning from one collision to another.
We scrub cities off our skins
and watch its roads leave tracks in the bath.
Damp rises, rent rises, high-rises.
Look how the cities silhouettes grow new forests for us.
What new constellation of stars guides us home?
We are tower block light flickers come evening
crammed into shoe boxes, basements,
living room-come-bedrooms.
Stretch out our feet to turn the TV on.
Reach out for our phones,
our faces made radiant by its birdsong.
Mining happening somewhere, but we can’t be sure.
We are compassion in 140 characters.
We are lying lonely next to each other
between paper thin walls.
We know our neighbour’s shouts and moans.
She sounds like a redhead, I think.
Rent rises, heat rises, sea rises.
Put the kettle on, scald dinner in microwaves.
Droughts happening somewhere, but we can’t be sure.
Tesco Metro fluorescence lives on.
I wonder what will this all look like in 50 years’ time.
How will our cities will exhale then?
How will we wear our loss?
How will we sleep when we cannot turn our alarm clocks off?
We have each become a small world,
spinning from one collision to another.
‘We have everything we need’ by Selina Nwulu
I feel anxiety just reading this poem. I am hopeful that young people will find a way, but I have to be honest that I do fear for my grandchildren and their children. “How will we wear our loss?”
I am afraid you are right. Too many people have been totally consumed by technology and it’s hard not to follow. I try hard, but it gets harder.
It certainly is a poem of its time.
Lovely. And timely. Lovely share. Thanks. Enjoyed it.
(She sounds like a red head. Haha. Make me laugh). Thanks. Xoxo
It’s true. We have everything we need.
I hope the part about not being able to turn off alarm clocks is wrong. They will be hellish if it were to materialize. Poor future for us. I don’t want to see it but it could happen. Is happening already? People running on empty already. With only a few hours of rest. Poor us.
Still the part about the red head made me laugh.
Thanks. Xoxo
I think so many of us are in despair. We can see the disasters happening, and looming, but feel unable to influence the inevitable outcomes. However, we must all strive to do everything we can to bring about change, even if it seems insignificant. If we do nothing then we are part of the problem!
These are very sobering thoughts!
This makes me grateful I don’t live in a city
Sadly I’ve wondered the same thing. I’ve told people I wish I could be here in 100 years to see how all of this is explained to that generation. Sadly, or maybe not so sadly, I won’t be here in 50 years to see how cities exhale. During the past year I’ve begun to be glad about the fact I won’t be here.