Imagine a world without stars,

Where all you can see at night

Is the gritty  black

Of a soot filled sky

Coating faces

Smothering moonlight

Imagine seeing that even during day

Distinguishable from night only by

The sun’s faint rays, straining

To filter through the mucky mist

To touch your face with fingers of warmth

Just barely

Imagine :

No rain

Except that of acid

No clouds

Except those of dust

No snow

Except the powdery flecks of pollution.

Imagine a world where you can’t say

‘as blue as the sky’

Because how can black equal blue?

‘as green as grass’

Because there is  no grass

‘as light as day’

Because the day brings no light

Imagine a world where,

Voices are muffled by gas masks

Tears barred by plastic goggles

Bodies are swamped by radiation suits

Imagine a world

Free of the chirps of sparrows

The shrill cries of blind bats

The guttural roar of lions

The rustle of autumn leaves

Of hope and happiness and laughter and glee and joy.

Imagine a world that smells

Of filtered air

A world that knows not

The fragrance of a ripe apple

The smell of wet earth

The intoxication

Of salt laden sea breezes

You know what?

Soon, there’ll be no need to imagine all of this

Because

We’ll be living in that world.