The bear necessities

Wildlife photograph of the year 2024
Polar bear asleep on iceberg remnant

The bear necessities 

Here I slumber 
here I stay
My world is melting 
and I’m miles away
Drifting off to sea 
dreaming what will be 
Going with the flow
Where else can I go
My pillow feels nice 
I listen to the ice 
its shrinking voice 
Telling me 
to get a larger bed
Full steam ahead 
in over my head 

By
David Kavanagh

earthenduranceliferhyme

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Linda Alice Fowler

Date: 2/24/2024 6:52:00 AM

Delightful write David. The photo is alarming and adorable at the same time. :)

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/24/2024 8:21:00 AM

Heya Linda, it really is one of those photos that fills us with ambivalence, I do think the bear is oblivious, and is just doing whatever it is polar bears do lol! Cheers David

Gary Radice

Date: 2/18/2024 3:16:00 AM

Hi David. On seeing that photo my immediate thoughts were of that Fox’s Glacier Mint advert from the ‘70s but then I read your poem. I do worry about the future of the planet but I’m guilty of using a petrol car, gas boiler, planes on holiday etc. I like the perspective of the polar bear in the poem….or is it your perspective cleverly disguised? When it comes to poems I can over think things. When it comes to the future of our planet I’m guilty of not thinking enough. Loved this. Cheers - Gary

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/18/2024 6:44:00 AM

Thanks Gary! I think most of us are oblivious to personally helping destroy the environment, I fall well short in that category myself, (another petrol head here) I think when writing I had that polar bear in mind, but in truth the situation is totally out of his control, so the picture is perspectively speaking for itself, I remember those Fox’s glazier mint ad’s and the sweets too! Oh yeah’ and the accompanying dental fillings lol! Cheers David

Paul Bell

Date: 2/13/2024 9:21:00 AM

Ah, Britain in the summer. Doesn't that bear just look like he doesn't have a care in the world. Wonder if the bear knows we're killing him off.

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/13/2024 10:27:00 AM

Im quite ambivalent towards this photo Paul, on one hand I see a bear without a care in the world, on the other I see a bear clinging to life, truth is he’s just living for the day like most animals (me included) cheers David

I Am Anaya

Date: 2/11/2024 9:47:00 AM

We keep burning fosile fuel and expect the world not to get any warmer. A sweet personification, word play, adorable is the image, ill steal it for my 'icebreaker" if I may. Nero fiddled as Rome burned, like us we ignore the obvious

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/11/2024 10:31:00 AM

Thank you Anaya, I’m certainly one who leaves a carbon footprint on this planet, although I try to be more careful, but not nearly enough, of course use the photo it’s world wildlife photo of the year, I borrowed it too! Cheers David

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 2/8/2024 9:12:00 AM

Incredible photo. I think the ice is melting too fast in the north and south. End of the world?

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/8/2024 9:28:00 AM

Not quite Victor, but definitely on the threshold of what is sustainable, we’re heading into unknown territory for sure, cheers David

Tom Woody

Date: 2/7/2024 4:15:00 PM

Bites to be a bear? Maybe climate change will force the polar bears to grown thinner coats thereby allowing them to thrive in more temperate weather thereby allowing them to survive. Or not. Hey nice (but rather sad) poem

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/8/2024 12:47:00 AM

Probably happening a bit too fast for adaptation, this one is on us, to try sort out our atmospheric emissions, hands up I’m a culprit too!

Tom Cunningham

Date: 2/7/2024 2:01:00 PM

Their world is definitely shrinking, that explains all the rising sea levels, might be an idea to start building an ark sooner rather than later lol. Tom

David Kavanagh
Date: 2/7/2024 2:13:00 PM

More than one can bear Tom! glad I’m about 2 miles from the coast, sea walls won’t last forever, unfortunately we’re the ones melting the stuff, have to cut down a forest to build an ark, further compounding the problem! Lol! Cheers David