Tonight after dinner we put on our masks
To walk outside through the wildfire smoke
Though our masks don't block the harmful gases
At least they filter out the particulates
After years of needing masks indoors
Anywhere people congregate in numbers
This is a twist turning the pandemic inside out
Facing the climate change crisis wearing the same masks
As if what was an invisible virus denied by many
Somehow transmuted into toxic ash you can see and smell
Irritating everyone's eyes and throat sparing no one
A huge cloud of unhealthy air still getting worse
Of course it won't kill you immediately
Unless perhaps if you are very young or very old
Or have asthma lung heart or other conditions
Just like the COVID infection has mostly become
But these are early days not even summer heat yet
Not nearly the peak of global warming with no end in sight
Meaning it's quite obvious by now where this is going
As long as nothing fundamentally changes
I'm with those who are organizing to make a complete overhaul
To stop the madness operating on every level
To create a system that puts people and the planet first
Taking ownership control away from the billionaire class
