"Retribution"

      

      As many of you know, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico deeply disturbed me.  I am happy to have read in the NY Times that BP has finally been held accountable for this environmental disaster.  

     I wrote my poem, Black Bayou, in May 2010, a mere month after the explosion.  In it, I indicated that over 7 million gallons of oil had spilled in the Gulf up to that point.  Here are some astounding numbers:  according to a recent article in the New York Times,  BP had reported that 5000 barrels of oil were spilling into the Gulf daily.  In actuality, the number was in excess of 60,000 barrels per day.  The Times also indicated that an estimated 4.9 million barrels spilled in the accident.  How many gallons are in a barrel? I looked it up: 42 gallons per barrel.  Therefore, more than 2.5 million gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico!  Additionally, the NY Times reported that BP pleaded guilty to 14 criminal charges in connection with the spill, and will be paying penalties in excess of $4 billion, over $2 billion of which is going to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for remediation efforts.  Furthermore, the Times reported that BP agreed to a settlement of civil charges for having misled investors about the flow rate from the well. At long last, retribution for BP.  Kudos to our Justice Department!

      As for me, I have played my own small part in holding BP accountable, as I have with Exxon, (remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989?)  I refuse to purchase my gas from either of these companies, ever. I haven’t bought Exxon since 1989, and BP since April 2010.  I realize I am only one person and that this will not impact either company, but it makes me feel better.

"Black Bayou"

The Gulf of Mexico is now filled with oil.
It is a dismal place where no fishermen toil.
They stand in a line awaiting soup and bread.
Thanks to British Petroleum, the fishing industry is dead.

An endless flow of oil, it seems,
Is devouring rivers, marshes, and streams.
Dead and dying animals numbered in scores
Float in the waters and litter our shores.

Helpless animals at the mercy of man
Are left suffering, dying, time and again.
Unparalleled arrogance of a few
Precipitated the demise of the Blue Bayou.

BP officials in their fancy suits
Are living the good life while ignoring the news.
They fly in the face of God with no backup plan,
 No regard for the environment, wildlife, or their fellow man.

The oil's flow is left unabated.
BP's feeble attempts to stop it, overrated.
Over seven million gallons of crude have now spilled
From the hole where these greedy vultures once drilled.

When will the catastrophe come to an end?
It's time to take action, no longer pretend.
Quit leisurely waiting for your pockets to fatten.
Stop pointing fingers, and take significant action.