Ilene Bauer Poet Rhyme

Eighty-Eight Pounds of Plastic

Eighty-eight pounds of plastic
Have been found inside a whale.
That’s quite a lot despite the fact
Of its enormous scale.

It’s not enough to worry over
Straws we use in drinks,
For what about the other stuff
That’s ocean-tossed and sinks?

Environmental warnings
Do not resonate with most.
For future generations, then,
Some creatures will be toast.

To think of whales’ extinction
Should make all our spirits sag
But especially if caused by
Each discarded plastic bag.

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Gershon Wolf March 30, 2019 at 9:22 PM Nicely done, Ilene... Interestingly, (I hope), back in 1968 and 1969, or '69 and '70, the Lake Michigan beachfront along the tony North Shore of Chicago was shut down because of tens of thousands---no exaggeration there, really---of dead alewives washing up on shore. That led to rigorous pollution laws governing factories and mills along Lake Michigan's coastline... It'll probably take a few beached whales or something akin to that to reverse the plastic dump, eh?! :) gw

Robert Pettit March 27, 2019 at 4:56 PM The Entenmann's thrift store in Blackwood no longer uses plastic bags. I had to carry out the boxes of cakes I bought without bags. Your great write sums up the reason why this retailer and others won't distribute plastic anymore.

Line Gauthier March 26, 2019 at 9:10 PM Wow- powerful message, Ilene... and beautifully delivered. Bravo.

Andrea Dietrich March 26, 2019 at 6:20 PM do you watch that new drama Sirens? About mermaids. It's also got a running theme on this type of topic.

Andrea Dietrich March 26, 2019 at 6:19 PM it's really a very sad thing. I have seen other documentaries on the poor birds of the ocean and other creatures being so abused. Great way to tell it, Ilene.

Rico Leffanta March 26, 2019 at 6:11 PM Between mercury and plastic, most marine life will soon be inedible. Seabirds and shorebirds are already found dead with stomachs filled with plastic. We could be next, so thank you for bringing up another timely subject! Aloha! Rico

Barbara Gorelick March 26, 2019 at 2:40 PM Well done.. it is a huge problem ..BG

Jan Allison March 26, 2019 at 12:41 PM Powerfully penned and we need to act now Ilene, on the Island we have an awesome charity called beach buddies and their message is spreading across the world but we must reduce our use of plastics:-) hugs Jan xx

Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart March 26, 2019 at 11:58 AM oh, excellent writ. x