Degradation of Natural Land
The poet opposes the way the planners conduct the construction of buildings because they cause dilapidation of the environment. Modernization and urbanization have dimmed the realities for planners because they don’t see the dangers of degrading land. Land degradation decreases the productivity of the global land surface. The consequences of land degradation can be far-reaching because they can lead to the destruction of biodiversity and species habitat.
Development vs Environment
The planners have neglected environmental principles when planning for developments. The outcome has been natural hazards, which can be avoided if the planners consider their decisions. The project developments in various cities are done at the expense of environmental degradation. The poet argues that even the sea draws back and the skies surrender. The statement indicates that nature is incapable of stopping the planners from destroying the environment in the name of project developments.
Historical and Cultural Discarding
The poet claims that the planners carelessly discard the past by knocking off structures that reminisce people of their culture and historical heritage. The structures are replaced with shiny materials to make people forget their traditions. The planners seem to ignore the importance of culture and history when they demolish historical buildings and replace them with modern buildings.
Bureaucracy in Project Development
The speaker portrays the planners as bureaucrats responsible for the destruction of biodiversity due to self-indulgence. The theme of bureaucracy permeates throughout the poem. The planners do not consult members of the public before initiating project developments. Such behavior is exercised by bureaucrats who want to control everything in society.
The Speaker’s Paradox
The speaker denounces the expansion and development of the projects, but in the last stanza seems to absolve himself from the blame when he indicates that he has no ill feelings about future development. The paradoxical statement from the speaker contradicts his belief making the readers question the moral lesson from the entire poem.
