What You Look Forward To

Photographer - Tobi Brun

What You Look Forward To

Do you smell that?
A charred scent that fills my nose
and draws water from my eyes.

The smoke clogs my lungs,
forcing me to grasp at whatever
air I can find.

Soot hammers my taste buds,
leaving a burnt sensation lingering
in my mouth.

My skin bubbles against my bones
as the heat rages through my body
from cinders that were once trees.

The screams of people fleeing drown out
the blaring sirens of a dozen firetrucks
and the crackle of dancing flames.

A clear accident, planned by those
who deny allegations, who hid their pollutants,
who turn away from the damage they have caused.

A planet killed and for what?
The push for innovation and change
lead only to death and destruction.

Do you smell the smoke? Taste the ash?
Hear the screams? Feel the flames? See the end?
This is the future you have to look forward to.

Magdalena Broderick is a 2024 Bridgewater College graduate. She spends her free time reading, writing poetry, and spending time with her horses. She enjoys exploring the idea of how the passage of time affects individuals, society, and the planet in her poetry.