particulates

what’s in the air
beside air

beside oxygen and nitrogen
argon
and the rest that has been there
for ages
with additions of smoke
in time
and then smog

radioactivity
changing art appreciation
and
the health of lungs
and such

other chemicals by now
plus plastic
parts
parts per million I suppose to measure

we breathe in bad things by us
belying the cartoon
version
of
artificial respiration
	out with the bad air
	in with the good
now
	out with the bad air
	in with badder

why we pollute ourselves
should be
a global conundrum
of
some
well
great urgency

we breathe through filters
helped by machines and when it’s worse
through
masks
we drink water from our plastic
metal bottles

we think we are immune
I guess
some of us
I guess

while failing to track for everyone
	since
	everyone’s affected
the work of all
societies
that measure and by measure
warn
the rates of cancer

c l couch


photo by Leo_Visions on Unsplash 
“Los Angeles, CA, USA”

(another preachy poem, and I could be sorry, but this one came to mind and word by my experience)