My poem “Youth Today” describes the challenge youth faces in regard to the climate crisis. The bird is an extended metaphor for humans. The bird with “fragile feathers” represents youth and the “swarm” of birds with “worn” feathers represent governments. 

Government leaders are the principle climate change dissuaders. Politicians create doubt about scientific proof for global warming. Doubt is represented by “clouds” since they obscure light (knowledge), and are disorientating if one is trapped inside. My poem describes the conflict between youth and governments, as the youth aims to reach the truth (the “Ground”).

The first two stanzas of the poem have four and five lines. The last two stanzas have five and four lines. The first number: “45”, represents Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, who is a climate change denier. The number “54” represents Boris Johnson, the 54th Prime Minister of the UK. Hundreds of climate activists have been urging Johnson to challenge Trump’s views on climate change during their meeting in December. The first line addresses Trump, and climate change dissuaders, and the last two lines are a call for action, to encourage world leaders to address the climate crisis.