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Oshie Flare

The air is hot and dry,
catches in my throat.
The flames burn
both day and night,
leave scars on the land
and my skin. Dried blisters
remind me that I should
have kept my distance.

As it scorches
through yet another dawn,
I wonder,
how many more
will be disfigured
before the fire has had its fill.

Author notes

The Oshie flare is a gas flare in the Niger Delta that has burned both night and day since 1972. It's owned by the Italian oil company Agip, and was built so close to a village that the air there is 10 degrees warmer due to the blaze. It's a 200 foot column of fire that serves as a constant reminder to the people of the village that foreign oil companies are ravaging their homeland, and they will never see any profit for it.

In a list

A contest entry

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Comments

1 - 6 of 6

  • waydownuponjoy
    August 19, 2007

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    so glad ...

    that you shared this sad bit of history that was little known of, by me and probably left out of the "sensational" news stories that seem to have more precedence when they serve the reporters "egos". Thanks for enlightening me with your author notes as well and congratulations on the trophy! joy


  • SpydurPoet gold member
    August 18, 2007

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    Wow. This was really sad. I did not know that. There are many things that should be written about to extend public knowledge of travesties such as this. Thanks for entering the contest, it was really great!
    Write on.
    ~*~SP~*~


  • earthstar
    June 19, 2007

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    I agree with you there no profit in destroying a person home. This is touching. I am glad you left some author notes so we did not have to guess what country this was wrote about. It wrote in a positive way letting the reader know what is happening out in our world today.
    From the high end profits they have gotten by oil one would hope they would correct such an injustice they create for these people. It look like greed wins once again. Thanks for the write. It makes one reflective about the world we live in today. Well done not a bashing write. It about having compassion for others who suffer by another hand. Great work.


  • panegyric ink
    March 24, 2007

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    should have got gold........

    for me, this is Poetry. this is so well worded, that all i could do was just eat it up some more!!!!!!
    reading over your thoughts just flows so naturally for me with these thoughts. it's always great! to read a piece of poetry that really lays everything out perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    God Bless,
    -bri.


  • Viyanna Rosemarie silver member
    March 24, 2007

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    powerful write here. very deserving of the bronze. thank you for sharing this with me and congratulations on winning the bronze. viyanna rosemarie


  • shewalksintomine gold member
    March 23, 2007

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    Nice work...sis.

    I think that this is the first quasi-political/historical piece I've read from you. I think you did a solid job.

1 - 6 of 6