[Newspoetry] poem (bison)

[Anne Bargar]

Dear Mr. President,
 	
	We are writing regarding your administration's suggestion that,
instead of cutting usage of fossil fuels, we should simply adapt to global
warming.  Although we applaud your belated acknowledgement of the problem
at hand, we are still trying to understand, with great difficulty, your
thinking on this matter.  Since we, as herd animals who use our legs as
our only source of voluntary locomotion, do not use fossil fuels at all,
it is incomprehensible to us that fossil fuels would be necessary for
migrating.  We shall simply accept that they are for now, so that we might
move on to our next question without any further ado.
	We are wondering if perhaps you do not fully comprehend the
concepts of adapting and evolving to fit changes in your environment.
Maybe you think this is easier than it actually is?  Let us assure you,
Mr. President, that evolving is an onerous and unpredictable process that
can take a very, very long time. You cannot simply will evolution to
happen; it takes its own course.  As mammals that have survived ice ages
and droughts, we fully understand the benefits of adapting and evolving.
Whenever we have been pursued by predators, be it wolves, bears, or humans
shooting from train windows, we have wished to evolve faster legs, claws,
or bulletproof hides very, very quickly.  To our knowledge, these things
have never happened.  
	As a species we are suggesting, Mr. President, that you read up on
evolution very, very soon.  If reading is not your strong suit, PBS has
made many fine documentaries over the years, on both evolution and global
warming, that you might find suitable.  Many of these are available for
rent at fine video rental stores in the greater Washington DC metropolitan
area.  We urge you to develop an understanding of the situation at hand,
and to change the way your administration views global warming.  We assure
you, it is far easier for US citizens to adapt their consumption habits
than it is for residents of small Pacific Ocean islands (or the East
Coast, for that matter), to evolve gills.  We hope you are able to
appropriately address this matter with your staff, and see that it is
properly resolved.
		
					Respectfully yours,
						
						The Great Plains
						Integrated Bison Consortium