We are seat mates from O’Hare to Honolulu
He lives on an island between Hawai’i and Australia
I’ve not heard of the place
So many island groups of so many small islands
He tells me it’s going under as we speak
He’s heading home to pack up his belongings
Having already relocated to Iowa with his wife and daughter
It’s horrible to contemplate
The image of this family being swept away
Global warming speeds up geologic time
Someday ‘soon’ someone who used to live on O ‘ahu
Will be flying home to pack up his belongings
If people are even around by then
Having already lost the game that Nature will always win
Lanning Lee 