the parasite spreads in crawling waves

billions of limbs rushing to infect

tendrils coursing across stolen land 

tearing, forcing its arms into the ground 

taking without restraint

draining life from within

claiming rivers and stars

spring leaves blackened into dust 

all that was sacred, now decayed

all that was mother, now barren

summers catch red on the bones of homes

the leech lives in skeletons of nature

yet burns all that remains resilient

autumn orange fades to grey, making it clear

there is more than just foliage falling

in the winter, only forty acres of trees remain

every last one pulverized into useless wealth

it destroys all in its path, 

forgetting that 

even parasites need

their host,

to survive.

– as the world purges humanity, we wither

Edited by Arisha Anne Bhattacharya

Artist Statement: This poem is about how humans have been slowly destroying and taking from the Earth, and leaving nothing behind. The environment takes no priority over wealth, war, and power. But humans would not exist without the Earth, and it is only a matter of time before we too wither, decay, and return to her.