there will be beauty in the midst of terror
when light reflects a swirl of colours on the tide
perversely echoing the stained glass of cathedrals
finding one more reason to pray for salvation
not for us
but for the innocent
when greed and complacency foul the ocean
when tarballs creep across tidelines
carpeting creation with black death
ending stories rooted in the beginning of days
a sacrifice to human commerce
papered press releases will talk about dispersants
and highlight spill response teams
until their stench masks that of the dead
seabirds and seastars
and everything else
there will be beauty darkened
by a mask of bunker fuel
or bitumen or toxic sludge
beauty will be found in our tears
saltwater spills running down black cheeks
as we grieve one more assault
one more acceptable risk fulfilled
in service of insanity
David Trudel © 2014
