Clearing Skies

City lights flicker, but the night’s not bright enough to hide the

smog

My lungs feel the weight of every car that rolls along the

road

The air’s a thick blanket,

hiding truth in every breath I take (smog) (breath)

Every streetlamp flickers like a warning sign

PM2.5 drifting down, turning clouds to grime

The ozone’s biting sharp,

like acid on my skin (According to WHO,

fine particulate matter kills an estimated 4.2 million people worldwide each year.)

We’re standing on a bridge that’s built on broken promises

The world’s breathing in our mistakes

Please stop trying to kill me with your air pollution

Let the skies clear and let my lungs be free

The world’s too fragile for another toxic breeze

We’re not just breathing,

we’re living in a storm

You can’t hide behind factories and traffic lights

The data is crystal:

every gram of CO2,

a new death

(Global average temperature rises by 0.18 degrees Celsius per decade,

linked to increased respiratory illnesses.)

The children’s playgrounds are now smoke-filled playgrounds

We’re chasing health in a world that’s already poisoned

Please stop trying to kill me with your air pollution

We’ll stand up, demand cleaner skies

No more silent suffering,

our lungs deserve a breath of hope (breath of hope)