Let’s start naming natural disasters after
the corporations aiding in their untamable,
existential growth.
Like naming sporting arenas for marketing purposes.
Let’s name drop for the Earth’s sake-
This hurricane brought to you by ExxonMobil.
Wildfire season is sponsored by Deer Park.
This brand-new oil spill is courtesy of ConocoPhilips.
The current human-trafficking wave supported by H&M.
Honorable mention to Peabody Energy for our poisoned water.
And then, as spectators, let’s go to these founding cities,
show our jagged, charred faces in Tehran, push our walkers in Texas.
Let’s plug up the sewers of London, California, Dhahran.
Together we’ll introduce the investors to an
Influx of respiratory distress,
The death of edible foods.
Make their grandkids work in
Gruesome, cramped conditions.
Remind them that Cola-Cola is not
Bottling fresh air in aluminum cans
For when ours is too polluted to breathe in.
After we watch their faces,
Read their eyes for any spark of
Redeeming desires to turn it around,
We won’t shout, there’s no need to.
We won’t hold them under with guilt.
We’ll help them shed the excess of
Corporate baggage, the fear of not enough.
We will all mourn together,
As we lie in our graves,
Shattering the spell held over ourselves.
—
Jennifer McKeen Rodrigues currently lives on the sacred Powhatan land of Fairfax, VA. She is trained as a certified yoga therapist & trauma informed yoga teacher, is a queer & neurodivergent military spouse, & mom. She has been featured in many lovely literary journals & anthologies, & has been nominated for Best of the Net with her photography. Find her on Insta @gmoneyfunklove.
