They say that we are running out
Of everything; if we don’t wean
Ourselves from greed, continually flout
The laws of Nature—put ourselves in quarantine
From Baltimore to Bethnal Green—
We’ll crash this Spaceship Earth if we don’t man it,
And all become more fit and lean;
They say that it will save the Planet.

They say we can no longer doubt
The future won’t be evergreen:
If there aren’t floods there will be drought
And every weather state between;
To put it bluntly we won’t have a bean,
And as for Progress, we must can it,
And live more simply—recycle, glean;
They say that it will save the Planet.

They say that we must go without,
On further gains must not be keen;
Forget religion, but become devout
For Goddess Earth; adopt a plain cuisine;
Live underground or in a mezzanine;
Having children’s an expensive taste—they’ll ban it;
And subsidize those windmills (the profits are obscene);
They say that it will save the Planet.

Envoy

Prince, you can teach us to be green
Till we are cabbage-looking; wherever there’s a fear you’ll fan it;
The rich can teach the poor how to be mean;
They say that it will save the Planet.

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now

We hope you will join us in The Imaginative Conservative community. The Imaginative Conservative is an online journal for those who seek the True, the Good and the Beautiful. We address culture, liberal learning, politics, political economy, literature, the arts, and the American Republic in the tradition of Russell Kirk, T.S. Eliot, Edmund Burke, Irving Babbitt, Wilhelm Roepke, Robert Nisbet, Richard Weaver, M.E. Bradford, Eric Voegelin, Christopher Dawson, Paul Elmer More, and other leaders of Imaginative Conservatism. Some conservatives may look at the state of Western culture and the American Republic and see a huge dark cloud which seems ready to unleash a storm that may well wash away what we most treasure of our inherited ways. Others focus on the silver lining which may be found in the next generation of traditional conservatives who have been inspired by Dr. Kirk and his like. We hope that The Imaginative Conservative answers T.S. Eliot’s call to “redeem the time, redeem the dream.” The Imaginative Conservative offers to our families, our communities, and the Republic, a conservatism of hope, grace, charity, gratitude, and prayer.

All comments are moderated and must be civil, concise, and constructive to the conversation. Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved, but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published. Also, comments containing web links or block quotations are unlikely to be approved. Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email