8 April 2004 7:22 pm
It Has Begun
The seven bowls of His fury
are poured upon the earth
to commence the Apocalypse.
It has begun.
The first,
that kindles caustic sores,
is the cancer of ultra-violet rays.
The second,
transmuting the sea to blood,
is the red tide of prolific microbes.
The third,
that poisons the rivers,
contaminates with toxic chemicals.
The fourth,
that annuls the shelter from the burning sun,
fracture the ozone shield.
The fifth,
enveloping the world in darkness,
is the blanket of cities' smog.
The sixth,
that parches the Euphrates,
is the searing greenhouse.
The seventh,
that ignites the lightning,
thunders from the ocean's ominous clouds.
The seven bowls of His fury
are poured upon the earth
to commence the Apocalypse.
It has begun.
Middlebury, Vermont and Fenner, New York
1991-1992
I began this poem, inspired by the book of Revelations at the New England Young Writers Conference at the Bread Loaf Campus. Over ten years have passed since I wrote it, and, unfortunately, the environment is even more damaged and at even greater risk than it was then.
