Stephen House has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright, and actor. He’s had 20 plays produced with many published by Australian Plays Transform. He’s received several international literature residencies from The Australia Council for the Arts, and an Asialink India literature residency. He’s had two chapbooks published by ICOE Press Australia: ‘real and unreal’ poetry and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ monologue. His next book drops soon. He performs his acclaimed monologues widely.

doomsday

100 seconds to midnight chimes the doomsday clock
calculated by experts and scientists 
to somehow give knowledge on the ending of planet 
ten score seconds spells how long who knows

it’s attained by considering factors involved
stacked evidence pushes clock hands forward
our earth in a mess they don’t say we all say it
counted time left stationary at present

and while not moved on clock seems almost ok
the fact it hasn’t slipped back offers little
for efforts in pulling planet back from demise
have been feeble and offer slim hope

major powers still investing in nuclear arsenal 
world leaders continue aggression
troops build on borders as invasions are launched 
refugee camps continue as shelter

weak attempts by all countries to ease climate crisis
temperatures rise and ongoing extinctions
weather rolls on with chaos destruction
heat records continually broken

and as much as politicians pretend covid on wane
we all know it becomes grimmer each year 
vaccines may assist humankind for awhile
until a smarter new variant invades us

billionaires grow richer at an increasing pace
ground mined deeper and space the new travel
while poor become poorer as rain patterns change 
with food crop failure becoming the norm  

and while sceptics say all is the same as has been
token promises are made at world summit
but as a human on earth with my own observations
end approaching is an accurate assumption

doomsday clock has been halted for around 3 years
is that meant to cause celebration 
according to those who move the hands of the clock
it indicates we’re still close to all over

planet frantic

slam smash crush aware now our cycle 
earth fall by stark hot beat sliding time 

steaming new realisation recurrence over
grip on twisting being truth chaos result

going on as is we never ending expected 
destruction living freedom fast in progress

disappear our wilderness gapes crying need
collective creepers refuse to cease finality

breathing smoke of anguish ongoing collect
asking multiple appeal of help without reply 

wonder hopeful conclusion as increase death  
we were a nature life of sweet cohesive once 

realized it coming and puzzle gave us plague  
confronted our remembering laughing gentle  

chosen dreaming blocked as bled to shocking 
will aid give or never assist third world plight 

mixed emotion not previous seen planet frantic 
coughing earth struggle smile gone spontaneous 

wishing change but continual barrage rockets 
empty eventually sinks all to crawling in plead 

enquiry unnecessary original of global cease 
confronts reality inaudible torture bled in this  

asking help questions repeat silence bang nil
nil bang silence repeat question help asking

this sweeping of life to demise relation climate 
to crisis of our time maybe but how can we go

sceptic babble ramble to cover wealthy seek
government spout supports money theory only