The Spill
DON'T TOUCH OUR PROFITS
Judy Davies
Judy Davies has lived in Gautier, MS since 1998. Her poetry and prose has been published in the “Magnolia Quarterly,” “Golden Words Anthology,” “Silver Pieces Anthology,” “Googins Gallery,” and others. Several poems have been set to music as art songs. She is a member of the Mississippi Poetry Society-South Branch. Judy’s book “Window Frames” will be released this fall. She and her composer husband, Ken, have four children, six grandchildren and two cats.
Walking the beach, sun at my back,
Dead sea turtles, shrimp and fish in piles.
The stench of death pervades the air.
Clouds darken the horizon, the wind
picks up, waters swirl, waves carry more
of the dead to shore. Gulf beaches, once in
their prime, now in their oily grime float the dead,
caked in oil that steadily gushes into the Gulf,
poisoning fish, fowl, flora and families.
BP Oil cries: “Not our fault, don’t
mess with our millions in profits.”
Halliburton threatens: “Not our fault,
don’t touch our profits.” Transocean
claims: “Not our fault, better not gamble
with our profits.” “Not as bad as
I thought -- like chocolate milk” claims
one foolhardy local congressman.
Wonder where his profits come from!
“How despicable!” cry fishermen, shrimpers,
boat renters, beachside businesses, those
dependent on the Gulf for their livelihood.
Eleven men dead, beaches ruined,
can’t stop the oil poisoning the Gulf,
wetlands and sea life for decades to come.
“Come, help us clean up this mess. But first,
sign here, so we’re not held accountable,”
demands BP. “Sorry about that,
but don’t touch our profits. Whatever happens,
don’t touch our profits.”