You’re probably familiar with the popular image of the United Nations, especially among American conservatives: an ineffectual bureaucracy where representatives of tiny countries drone on about their grievances while bored diplomats adjust their tie clips. Well, sometimes conservatives aren’t totally wrong.–Grist.org

The ocean tide is rising like a water-borne insurgency

The climate’s a catastrophe, a crisis and emergency

And global leaders rush to show they understand the urgency

The time for speeches long is past! We need to start commissions!

Headed up by movie stars and leading politicians

Corporate executives and big-name rock musicians!

To choose a new committee that will nominate a board

To name a special panel that will move the process toward

Reaching an agreement that will lead to an accord

On listing all the options for developing a policy

Toward funding new approaches based on cutting-edge psychology

For programs to encourage teaching kids about ecology.

(And somewhere in the universe, a star is giving birth

To a planet, in three billion years, that might resemble Earth.

Where life, if it is lucky, will recognize its worth.)