i always look at the sky

as a kid i always looked at the sky
didn’t we all?

those shapes
that could be made into anything

once i wanted to be up there too
in that blue

i always notice the sky:
huge skies in the fens

deep sunsets in goa
cloudless as the great orb dropped into the sea

in the scottish highlands
clear blue in the day, vast stars at night

but something is wrong now
those new clouds

thin, long clouds
& the planes that put them there

i never saw it, all these 50 years the
cloud made by planes

poison pouring from their wings
& i know what it is made from

& it shouldn’t be up there
coming down in the endless rain it makes

a rainbow halo surrounds the moon
the fog stinks

& the cloud, & the rain
endless

& the planes do not stop
& so many do not notice

what when that stuff gets in the water?
what when that stuff gets in the soil?

what when that stuff gets in the animals?
what when that stuff gets in us?

i don’t enjoy looking into the sick sky any more

(2024)