"Here, fix this,"
they say, handing out the homework.
I stare at the world – er, worksheet.
This is a problem I can't solve alone.
The world is heating.
What am I supposed to do?
The oceans are rising.
What am I supposed to do?
Species are dying.
What am I supposed to do?
We are dying ...
What am I supposed to do?
I raise my hand,
"What are we supposed to do?"
The billionaire – er, teacher looks up.
"Fix it."
Nobody is working.
We are all solemnly staring at
our world – er, worksheet.
It's quiet.
I can hear the clock ticking away
the seconds we have left.
The CEOs – er, teacher tells us to hand them in.
I am the last to hand mine in.
I notice no one wrote anything on theirs.
We sit down.
I raise my hand again.
"What was the answer?"
The president – er, teacher looks startled.
He doesn't say anything.
"Never mind,"
I say, walking out of the classroom.
"We already know."
I walked out that day ...
and I wasn't the only one.