A girl inhaling clean salty air
on the coastline of the Pacific
once harboring pristine beaches
held in awe in the early fifties
Cradled first in a mother’s arms
embraced in a warm blanket of sun
sand sticking to arms and legs
to tiny feet and pudgy hands raised
Eyes swallowing the ocean forever
encompassing a spotless horizon
just a sweet taste of waves and wind
‘til progress brazenly stepped in
Iron giant beast bereft of eyes
harnessed to flat steel platforms
began springing forth on Hwy 1
like parched wilted weeds in the sun
They anointed the soil like locusts
legs attached with heads in motion
digging deep in the earth drinking
oil thick like honey sickly menacing
Pollution crept in first unnoticed
air thick at times with heady fumes
sticky black tar littered beaches
Tin Can Beach amassed its leaches
Years were swept as incoming tides
realization of what man had made
eyes burned of air toxic to breathe
a process to clean, erect a sheath
Signs were posted of ‘Danger Beware’
bulldozers took away tin cans and trash
Bolsa Chica Beach left in its wake
all was done for humanities’ sake
A woman inhaling remnants of air
on the coastline of the Pacific
iron giants without eyes still stare
never sated on their black honey fare
© Renee Espriu 2016
Photo From http://www.image-archeology.com/california_oil_wells.htm
I was fortunate enough to have this posted for 100TPC on Jamie Dede’s site The Bezine. The topic as you will read is Environmental Justice. Please visit her site and read other posts by writers who also contributed to this issue.
https://musingbymoonlight.com/2016/09/19/the-bezine-vol-2-issue-12-environmental-justice-intro-and-table-of-contents-with-links/
reneejustturtleflight.com 
I am sad to see the once pristine places are polluted, toxic and harmful to our health. I am envious of those early days of fresh clean air.
LikeLike
It was a beautiful place when I was a girl. I, too, wish it were different now but not to be so.
LikeLike
I remember these from my youth. Always thought they looked like alien life forms. I also remember the APCD smog alerts. Days I couldn’t breathe up in the foothills of the San Gabriels. Glad to be where skies are blue and cool, clean breezes blow!
LikeLike
Yes, the smog alerts were something else and when they said to stay inside, they meant exactly that. Thank You!
LikeLiked by 1 person
ugh – it troubles me how we destroy nature – and all because of money –
one of the reasons i went vegan – doesn’t help when it comes to oil pollution but makes at least a tiny difference when it comes to cutting down the rain forest..
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is good you feel you can do something. It is troublesome to me to visit my dad and sister and find things will never be as they once were.
LikeLike
Excellent poem Renee and a great reminder of how we have through the years poisoned our lands around our Earth with those seeking what I call black gold..
Love to you and congrats on your poem over at Jamie’s Hugs Sue ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank You Sue. Yes, the place of my youth now seems like another world. xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think many of the places people once grew up in have now changed so much..
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do agree. But change takes us where it will and is not always what we would want.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true.. So many beautiful landscapes get spoilt in the name of progress..
LikeLiked by 1 person