Intelligent
are elephants,
not negligent.
African herds
are killed for tusks -
cruelty loud heard.
Asian giants
lost habitat
to growth tyrants.
Family styled,
elephant hearts
are love compiled.
Despite great strength
they gently love
their long-life length.
Stop evil shoots,
grant living space,
and pray peace roots.
The fish in the sea,
the birds that have dominion in the air,
the animals of the forest,
these habitats entrusted to our care.
We should treat all of God's creatures
with honor and respect,
must be good stewards of our mother earth,
never let her feel neglect.
God has granted us dominion
over His beautiful earthly domain,
to walk upon this earth softly
and never to leave a stain.
forests, swamps, plains, oceans, meadows and even lakes
are being polluted, bulldozed and littered for goodness sakes
everything is being harvested or relinquished in human’s name
creatures are vanishing rapidly! is the environmentalist’s refrain.
animal habitats are carelessly dismissed or revamped; who can survive?
Eventually will skunks, whales fox, big cats, bees or geese still be alive?
We Have Only Ourselves To Blame
The way we live now seems barely the same,
Enduring one ecological disaster after another.
It’s obvious we have only ourselves to blame
For changing the climate and the weather.
Enduring one ecological disaster after another:
Rampant forest fires, pollution, desertification.
For changing the climate and the weather -
Too much industrialization and deforestation!
Rampant forest fires, pollution, desertification…
Species extinction from loss of natural habitats;
Too much industrialization and deforestation!
We’re destroying everything, everywhere, like spoiled brats.
Species extinction from loss of natural habitats???
It’s obvious we have only ourselves to blame!
We’re destroying everything, everywhere, like spoiled brats.
The way we live now seems barely the same.
SECRETS
the patina of time... secrets
table tops
how many tales could they tell
bronzes too
secrets removed with cleaning
planet earth
patina removed... dying
habitats scraped clean... naked
death reaps death
the patina of time... secrets
truth exposed
and still, we have never learned
if ever
patina... the air we breathe
atmosphere
holds secrets of all world life
patina
microscopically thin
protection
Patina Poetry Contest - Sponsored by Anthony Slausen
6/26/18
When harsh winds strip the trees of leaves,
nesting creatures shiver and grieve.
*For Brian's two-line contest
That first picnic atop Mount Wells
with the silver survival
blanket and flask
steaming with tea and wild flowers bursting
yellow, cerise and indigo deep
in sedge grass, you said
“it takes seven years for Camas to grow
back if trampled,” and
cautiously skirted the ruptures of colour
while I wondered how many
years to recover
if we tread too carelessly
~~~~~~~~
For Carol Brown's 'Picnic Time' contest
Haiku for Hidden Habitats
Mournful doves coo
Bullfrogs call from tall green reeds
Traffic rushes by
Fox quietly treads
Rabbits from their warrens peak
Traffic rushes by
Snake moves soundlessly
the hawk glides on wind whispers
Traffic rushes by
Shy yellow flutters
Doe statues stand in the field
Traffic rushes by
Traffic rushes by
Unaware of hidden gifts
Precious habitats
Written after walking in
open space near a highway
In the marsh the cattails sway,
Brave brown brushes standing tall.
Feet firmly planted in their muddy bed..
Giving shelter there to big and small.
Here the blackbird builds his nest,
A flash of red his sudden gift.
Amid the stalks the ducklings hide,
In tender down they gently drift.
Upon the bank the turtles bask,
From hibernation at last set free.
Like dinner plates of every size
Free to rest and grow.. and be
Here the otter plays among the reeds
Playful creatures, swift and sleek
Whiskers pointing east and west
Quiet shelter is what they seek.
On this earth a small habitat like this
Must be a sacred protected place.
For creatures that have no speaking voice..
We must stop the earth from loosing face.
In the marsh the cattails sway,
Brave brown brushes standing tall.
Feet firmly planted in their muddy bed..
Giving shelter there to big and small.
Here the blackbird builds his nest,
A flash of red his sudden gift.
Amid the stalks the ducklings hide,
In tender down they gently drift.
Upon the bank the turtles bask,
From hibernation at last set free.
Like dinner plates of every size
Free to rest and grow.. and be
Here the otter plays among the reeds
Playful creatures, swift and sleek
Whiskers pointing east and west
Quiet shelter is what they seek.
On this earth a small habitat like this
Must be a sacred protected place.
For creatures that have no speaking voice..
We must stop the earth from loosing face.
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