Thursday, April 23, 2015

METAMORPHOSIS

My mail is replete with requests
for money
to save the whales, the penguins,
the birds, the forests, the turtles, the elephants
the dogs and all the animals, oceans, habitats,
of this world.

Then there are the people.
Starvation, poverty, abuse, war, disease, suffering
waiting for money to stop the pain.

Then the guilt: 
I wasted water, used plastic,
didn't recycle enough, drove my car too much,
had no cash for the homeless man.

Then I feel the weight of it all.
My attempts to help,  minuscule.
Living in a monumental crisis, grieving
depletes energy for hope.
But I know we must be aware,
responsible, stay grounded.

So I've decided to save the planet.
Not in a grandiose, messianic sense.
But by living my best life
on this precious earth, giving
to myself/OF myself each day,
trusting earth knows how to die, 
transform, then live again.
I learned this from a caterpillar.


(source)

(I gave a very worried friend a little dish for Christmas.  It was engraved with something like, "The caterpillar thought it was the end, when it turned into a butterfly.")



(For Poets United.)

7 comments:

  1. Excellent! I want to share this with friends via facebook if you give me your permission. It speaks to so many of us who get all the liberal cause mail and in actuality have learned to engage ourselves spiritually. Bravo!

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  2. it can be overwhelming at times and often i dunno where to start. i try to do my best to help people and live an environmental friendly life - small steps often but at least i do a little bit... living life best as we can and see the people around us is a wonderful thing to do

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  3. That's the best thing...to live the best life we can live, for earth. Great positive thoughts, thanks!

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  4. This is beautiful. All we can do is do our best.

    Thanks for your kind comment.

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  5. Myrna, I adore this. One of my very faves. LOVE it. It is Perfect!!!!!!

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  6. This is absolutely fantastic...! :D Loved the form of this magical piece :D
    xoxo

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  7. Wonderful! A great reminder about what small things we can all do to save the planet: Think globally, act locally!

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