Blue Sea, Black Tide

You don't need to worry, children -
you don't need to worry so;
They rubbed the blue out of the ocean,
but the ocean will still flow.
They took the white from clouds above us
but the clouds move to and fro,
So, no need to worry, children,
this is all we need to know.

You don't need to be alarmed now -
you don't need to be alarmed;
a shadow falls upon the sea
but it's not meant to do us harm.
They say it will avoid us
just like an angry swarm,
So no need to be alarmed now,
they say we'll be well-armed.

Now the tides are rushing black here,
a brownish black that flushes in;
birds, earth-bound, sink in slowly
with flightless wing and burning skin.
The fish have left the waters
with fired gills and peeling fins
Now the tides are rushing black here,
the blue erased from deep within.

Is there time left not to worry?
No - the hours are too few
to turn this shifting black tide
and replace the broken blue.
We were all told not to worry
but the darkness has imbued,
under the skin and hidden surface
into the truth we always knew.