Poetry

Jan Barry

Keep it in the Ground

The detritus of dead sea creatures
and decayed vegetation
is sucked out of the ground
and burned to smoke
that poisons living creatures
and whacks the balance of Nature
back toward a deadly, prehistoric
time before the creation
of humankind

JAN BARRY is an environmental journalist and poet whose books include A Citizen’s Guide to Grassroots Campaigns,Earth Songs, Life after War & Other Poems and (co-editor) Winning Hearts & Minds: War Poems by Vietnam Veterans. A U.S. Army veteran of Vietnam, he coordinates Warrior Writers workshops for veterans and family members in New Jersey.