Pesticide Fields

For Rachel Carson,1907-1968 In La Belle Dame sans Merci John Keats writes about the sedge That withered from the lake And the birds that stopped to sing. But unlike the poet’s merciless Dame You, Rachel, you were a Lady Of great compassion. The eels and the scombrids still swim Under the Sea Wind somehow Yet your Silent Spring evokes A verdant season without bird song On the pesticide fields. Half a century ago you warned That the abuse of DDT And other chemicals harm And kill animals and humans. And then the chemical corporations Reacted to your words With savage furor and venom. They accused you with all sort of things: Of being a hysterical woman Without proper scientific training Who did not understand the need To weigh potential risks against benefits. They also accused you Of being responsible For millions of deaths around the globe Caused by malaria Because DDT can kill mosquitoes And a ban on it would hinder control Of malaria transmission. These were untrue And malicious accusations. In fact, you never suggested To ban DDT or chemicals. You just said to use pesticides With caution and to spray With as little as possible. Since then your vision Has been vindicated And remarkably, the poisonous campaign Of the chemical industry against you Backfired. The public became aware Of the dangers of pesticides And governments outlawed The use of DDT. However, you became gravely ill In the struggle. I don’t know Whether the breast cancer you contracted Was caused by environmental degradation And pollution Augmented by the toxic fumes Of a vicious campaign against you. Who knows? Rachel, my brave and fragile, My wise and farsighted lady, We only know that you died Of a heart attack.