Environmental Disasters All
Environmental Disasters All
Slowly kicking through the fallen leaves in autumn
I bend to retrieve the shiny object
a lug nut from an automobile
fallen by the way
And I think of other precious finds
of my
meandering soulful
journeys
I begin pondering from whence they come
A rainbow colored headband no doubt from a local
college kid out hiking
and then a dog collar from a favorite pet
another commune with nature
beer cans at the cemetery
used needles down at the park
Turning on the nature show and see environmental gathering
at the ice caps the helicopter still in view
and wonder about the turbo-jet
and the plumes of jet fuel and smoke too
and as they fly away
the natives tear up and cry
and they wave and they wave
Then a smiling celebrity mentoring the staring children
at the school
climbs back onto the Lear -jet
and fly’s back to Hollywood
not before she sang kum-ba-ya
not before she attains the donations
from the children’s desks
and candy drives
what did that cost ?
And it leads me to my own childhood my
father a chainsaw and a diesel powered dozer
an axe a fire and a woods boss too
tearing away the earth
leaving the broken ground
and torn trees
and I wonder
of environmental disasters
and given it all and how it’s
really done
I wonder
And Just who has done the most damage ?
———————————–
- This dream world of a dog - September 20, 2020
- Of men and wood smoke - September 16, 2020
- Winter’s grip they say ? - February 9, 2019
Exactly, Ed. It doesn’t take much to work out who has done the most damage. Wonderful words here and I love how you structure your the lines of your poems on the page uniformly. Well done.
Environmental damage is so sad and defeating for all humanity and for our dear Mother Earth. I always remember what Native Americans believed in the old days: “Walk softly upon Mother Earth and take no more than what you need. And always give back.” When I go out in the desert to gather sage, I take little gifts for each plant and give thanks to the spirit of that plant when I take a pinch or two. And I never take from the Grandfather plant, for that is the one that gave life to all the others. Well done, Ed. Thank you.
Nicely stated Ed, of the impact we have had on the natural world. We are so selfish in our beliefs and attitude in taking what we want regardless. Great work my friend.
True enough it is a mess just from natural disaster and no need to be more by us. Well done, Ed.