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Rett

Jul 17, 2008 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Evil Big Oil

Evil Big Oil

Asphalt, plastic and even metal
TVs and computers to test your mettle
Cars and trucks and airplanes too
Bikes and trikes for me and you
Electric lights from dusk till dawn
Even used to mow the lawn

Windmills to power generators
Couldn’t be made by oil haters
Solar panels don’t you know
Use the oil to make it so
Boats and yachts and water skis too
Your pants and shirt and even your shoe

The tires upon both bus and car
Without which you wouldn’t go far
Handgrips, pedals rims and tire
Upon your bicycle and lighting your fire
And making glass to name a few
All use energy from oil too

Electric shavers and manual blades
How do you think they are made?
Cutting wood and planeing boards
Is just another of big oil’s chores
Movie projectors for shows you see
Even the film used constantly

Everything we want to do
Uses oil to make come true
Yet its evil THEY always say
We should do it another way
But everything THEY say we need
Uses oil for its feed

(and you think it’s evil?)

— Rett, Jul 17, 2008

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Southern Texas, USA

Favorite Poets: Dickenson, Longfellow

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Critiques

17 years 10 months ago

Yes of course it's evil

because it is a finite resource, it is going to run out, it already is. It's being wasted shamelessly and causing wars. Sorry to be blunt in the face of your irony Rett, but even you admitted to sitting in 60 degrees while it's 92 outside. We gotta pull our heads in re oil or kill lots of people and then get caught with our pants down, maybe even kill the planet. This is serious shit man. We don't have to give up a lot if, to paraphrase a Christian term, we love our planet as our neighbour. Which is silly in itself. We are like fleas actively killing the dog, but with the power to do it. Just dumb. cheers, Jess

P

poewriter58

17 years 10 months ago

Rett

couldn't be made so see ya later? somehow ( and it may just be me) but this line throws me off what was your train of thought here? I won't give my view on the political aspect , nor the conservationist and naturalists views well written is what I will say except for that one line Chrys

17 years 10 months ago

Sorry Chrys

I didn't make that part very clear. I was thinking of the Rich environmentalists like Ted Kennedy, and the Hollywood movie stars that are so hot for wind power except if it is in their neighborhood. Ted Kennedy was all for it till they were going to ruin his view of the bay. *L* Then it was NO WAY! I'll have to give it some thought as to how to redo that part. Thank you. I wasn't doing it to cause a fight. Just to point out how much we need oil and that we can't just get rid of it or stop using it like a few people think. It's not that easy. Thanks for reading and pointing out that point. I appreciate it. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 10 months ago

Jess

Thanks a lot for reading and commenting and giving me your view which I respect tremendously. The real irony of this whole damn thing is that the USA has more oil than Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates combined but we can't use it because of the over zealous far fringe environmentalists. There is enough at our present rate of expansion to last 250 years. Plenty of time to develop other sources without wrecking the whole economy. The other irony is that one volcano erupting puts out more pollution than all the cars ever made combined. How the heck are we gonna put catalytic converters on them or ask them not to erupt? The third irony is that pine trees give off NOX which we can't control and cows, dogs, cats, deer etc. put out massive amounts of methane and CO2. Rotting Vegetation that you find in any swamp puts out large amounts of both CO2 and Methane not to mention NOX. Do we put environmental controls on these also? Did you realize that electric motors add ozone to the atmosphere? Did you know the new energy saver light bulbs contain mercury which requires a toxic waste team to dispose of properly. Do you want to go around with a catalytic converter poking out your backside? *LOL* Just a few examples of the ridiculous side of things. I don't say get rid of this stuff I just want a little common sense to be used. The government and the far fringe enviro people sure don't have any. Any way, I really do appreciate your input. thanks. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 10 months ago

You give me plenty so think about

without making simplistic erroneous assertions. Tres cool. It is a complex issue and people get overzealous on every aspect. Although, if the planet itself is in danger (and from all my observations, reading and research I believe it is), isn't a certain amount of zealotry commendable? Even necessary, to fight for our children's lives, if not our own. cheers, Jess T.

17 years 10 months ago

Jess

We aren't really apposed if you will read my reply to your post on my home page. I have done some extensive research because I still remember the ice age scares of the 60's. I am for the environment also. I just want people to understand the extremes at both ends are not the way. I hope if you read the reply on my homepage it will make it a bit clearer. It is a VERY complex issue. Each and everyone of us need to use common sense in this. I really respect the fact that you are at least willing to listen. So many on BOTH side won't. Rett: Whenever I meet and Atheist I think of...nothing at all.

17 years 10 months ago

It's NOT causing wars

Sorry, Rett....I agree with your poem and comments.

17 years 10 months ago

Thanks Tom

Nice to see someone who understands it. Thank you. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 10 months ago

I am really torn here,

want to dive in boots and fists and figures flyin'! Which would result in us tearing each other new arseholes and then the conflict would double! Instead I am going to apply an old axiom of mine to you and me- "when you are sure you are right, you must be wrong" Someone call the Guinness book of records! The weirdelf just applied moderation! [excuse me, feeling a bit faint and nauseated, a brand new experience, and not very exhilarating] By crikey you set a big lure on that hook Rett, I respect that. The poem is well crafted but I think we both know it is mostly about the content. grudgingly, respectfully, Jess T. p.s. love that Churchill quote, I always thought is was Oscar Wilde said it.

17 years 10 months ago

jess

Feeling a bit faint myself and I do respect your opinion and moderation. With best of regards to you, Rett: PS. You might like this site. http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/bulldog.html Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 10 months ago

Rett

I liked your poem. content and all Encouragement is like oxygen to the soul God is in control Poetry not politics

17 years 10 months ago

Thank you Linda

My most grateful respects to you. Sincerely, Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 10 months ago

If god is in control he's doing a lousy job, should be impeached

everything is political. cheers, Jess T.

17 years 10 months ago

Jess

It must be a full moom. I liked your poem about your warrior sisters, by the way.

17 years 10 months ago

woooowaaaaa... mmm... yes it must be 8)

damn! gonna have to buy 3 packs of razors. thanks, I wrote one for my Mum too but can't bring myself to post it. Might damage my street cred [grin] cheers, Jess T.

17 years 10 months ago

Rett

Smiles:) Barbara Thought this was a great write on such a touchy subject I won't comment on the subject itself. Didn't realize oil made all those things come true. lol Jess, I feel people start wars over things and ideas not the things itself. This flowed well and the logic used was really good.

17 years 10 months ago

Thank you Barbara

Most people have never thought about how much oil effects their lives. Everything from band aids up. Thanks for the feedback on the poem itself. I appreciate it. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

B

17 years 10 months ago

Hey! there ...

No new info provided in your piece for me, though I grant that for many it's news. My pet beef with raising foodstuffs for cars is that it seems as about as dumb a way to gain alternative energy as we could travel. Agribusiness uses enormous amounts of oil to produce crops. Not only for the machines it takes to manage them, but for the fertilizers and the various -cides applied. We here in this original post and subsequent prompted discussion but scratch the surface of our current overdependence on oil. And growing demand for it internationally makes, as far as I'm concerned, cutting back on demand for gas at the national pump a nonsolution. And whatever oil we find---the oil lying in places well known as well as the oil lying in places it's not yet been discovered---provides also ... yup, you guessed it (I hope) ... but another nonsolution. My opinion. You don't have to buy it. And BTW, you've written well a piece that in content's unassailable. It's the minority---and your minority growing more minor all the time---view lightly stated but strongly implied that takes the heat. Nothing about that you don't know, of course. I suspect the heat in this case comes driven mostly by fear of what might happen to us if we can't find effective alternatives to reliance on the---as you title it---Evil Big Oil. I think people are justified in being afraid ... in being very afraid. Thanx for the write ... and for prompting such heated responses Yours, Chuck

17 years 10 months ago

Thanks Chuck

A very well thought out and astute answer. The solution lies in between. Instead of trying to cut each others throats on this we should all be working together to find the best compromise. We are going to need solar, wind and nuclear energy combined. We can't do away with oil because it is used to manufacture or as byproducts to make most of what we use so we have to keep searching for alternatives to cut down on our dependence without wrecking the economy. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 10 months ago

Oil...

this is well written and needs to be said... but most of us know that oil will always have a place on this earth for us to use.. it is a naturally occuring by-product of our world.. I read your poem and your latest rant on the subject.. I agree that our government has caused detramental side effects by demanding the oil companies adhere to strict rules on air pollution, but they also implemented NAFTA which allowed the oil companies to move to other countries less restrictive.. who is to blame ? They play both sides of the fence... and we suffer with gas prices.. interesting piece and you have some interesting views... will keep reading. Richard

17 years 10 months ago

Thanks Richard

You are absolutely correct. We have to rein our government in and also the other end of the spectrum also. We have to find a compromise that protects the planet without destroying our economy. The biggest thing I am trying to point out is that if we just sit on our backsides and allow both extremes to flourish we are in BIG trouble. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

D

DarkinAZ

17 years 10 months ago

Wow,

the debate with the liberal fraction remained quite minimal, could it be we are wearing them out? God, I hope so....lol. Loved it friend, Mark

17 years 10 months ago

LOL

Maybe people are starting to realize the truth Mark. I am just trying to show it without getting too far out there. Thanks for reading and commenting. Rett: Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.” Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

17 years 7 months ago

Thanks julie

Heck I'm a grouchy old man. Even my wife don't agree with me. Sheesh, Women! *LOL* Oil will always be a part and maybe a large part of our society because so many things are made from it. Not by it's use, but from the oil and oil byproducts as weel, but I am all for progress and as you said. A slow steady push that doesn't destroy the economy in the meanwhile. It would be awfully boring if we all thought alike huh? Will check out you poem either tonight or in the morning. I appreciate it my friend. Respectfully, Rett: "Life is like a beach. Salty, gritty, somewhat fishy and at other times, downright crabby" Rett: 2008

17 years 7 months ago

Thanks Janice

I think we need to start using alternative ways for power, but no way will we be able to get rid of oil. Respectfully, Rett: "Life is like a beach. Salty, gritty, somewhat fishy and at other times, downright crabby" Rett: 2008