Watching the BP Oil Leak in Gulf : An Acrostic Verse

When did this tragedy of oil and gas spill start? Were we watching a spill cam?

Always to discuss dead and dying turtles, pelicans and  rare terns– normal is it?

The truth is we discussed limits, coastal erosion and small spills here and there.

Cameras showing  jetties and reserves were in planks politicians had to  cram.

However, sportfishing, jet skis and music in good crowded bars marked a visit.

In oysters, crabs, shrimp, fin fish and airboat rides came wealth with care.

Nobody thought everything was going forward and would turn out well.

Great care was had for all threatened by an oil coated kind of deadly hell.

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The decades of struggle to protect and heal and fill the coast with profits too.

How we argued and fought as to all there was to know and plan and do.

Each since April of two thousand ten are brought to a  struggle new. 

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British Petroleum changed its name to letters before Deep Water Horizon’s fire.

Petroleum and natural gas heated pipe, plate, tanks  and white-hot steel wire.

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Of the day’s  pain and fear we hear and  of dire and painful  escape from woe.

It is known that eleven tales are unheard in studie of fire and lingering flow.

Lives of eleven consumed and families grieve those who at sea to work did go.

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Lives lost, others wounded and injured and in pain on  lonely  lifeboats.

Each still wounded and in pain came into ships rescued from an oiled fiery sea.

As these waited lawyers met them with right-waiving legal notes.

Kept for many hours in  mental  and social stress before set on land as free.

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In days to come Transocean, Halliburton and BP PLC parsed the blame.

No coffins eleven had for bodies consumed in a gusher’s raging flame.

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Greatly wrong series of  estimates of  flow — vast oil flowed out in doom.

Until a vast spread of emulsions, slicks, sheens raged across the wild seas.

Lapping nearer and into swamps that are breeding and nursery room.

Fingering first past burns and booms lines of  fouling forces flow with ease.