"Would the valleys were your streets,
and the green paths your alleys, that you
might seek one another through vineyards,
and come with the fragrance of the earth in
your garments.
But these things are not yet to be.
In their fear your forefathers gathered
you too near together. And that fear shall
endure a little longer. A little longer shall
your city walls separate your hearths from
your fields."
Excerpt from "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran
A LITTLE LONGER -Three somewhat disparate thoughts about sustainability.
I don't like to acknowledge my fear
of a future world, perhaps already here,
where humans and ignorance are eradicated
by this earth's forceful thrust.
She's simply trying to sustain existence.
If it's the fittest who'll survive,
the human species must surmise
its non-essential status
among all of nature's creatures.
*
I'm glad I'm not a prophet,
I'd rather be a gambler
waging bets on dreams
where I see people waking up
from shattered illusions
about what makes them real.
People loving the love of nature
which forms the essence of themselves.
*
I'm not sure when I became aware of a sick earth.
But I reacted the way one does when a loved one is ill.
First I denied: "It can't be. THEY'll fix it. We/the earth will always survive."
Then there was shock. "It can't be!"
Then anger. "I'm furious at those evil, money hungry f%^&*&^#$$$$ corporations!!!"
Then I bargained. "Please recover. If so, I'll make sure my grandchildren take care of you."
Eventually depression arrived. "What's the use? What have we done? Nothing to do now but wallow in worry."
Now I've reached acceptance that I am alive,
still afraid of the unknown,
aware the earth is enduring a serious disease,
that I must love it, do my best to sustain it while we heal or we die.
We'll be this way a little longer.
(For Poets United where Susan challenges us to write about sustainability.)
I don't like to acknowledge my fear
of a future world, perhaps already here,
where humans and ignorance are eradicated
by this earth's forceful thrust.
She's simply trying to sustain existence.
If it's the fittest who'll survive,
the human species must surmise
its non-essential status
among all of nature's creatures.
*
I'm glad I'm not a prophet,
I'd rather be a gambler
waging bets on dreams
where I see people waking up
from shattered illusions
about what makes them real.
People loving the love of nature
which forms the essence of themselves.
*
I'm not sure when I became aware of a sick earth.
But I reacted the way one does when a loved one is ill.
First I denied: "It can't be. THEY'll fix it. We/the earth will always survive."
Then there was shock. "It can't be!"
Then anger. "I'm furious at those evil, money hungry f%^&*&^#$$$$ corporations!!!"
Then I bargained. "Please recover. If so, I'll make sure my grandchildren take care of you."
Eventually depression arrived. "What's the use? What have we done? Nothing to do now but wallow in worry."
Now I've reached acceptance that I am alive,
still afraid of the unknown,
aware the earth is enduring a serious disease,
that I must love it, do my best to sustain it while we heal or we die.
We'll be this way a little longer.
(For Poets United where Susan challenges us to write about sustainability.)
She's simply trying to sustain existence.
ReplyDeleteIf it's the fittest who'll survive,
the human species must surmise.
We must awaken to the call of nature if we are to survive at all in the future..!
Beautifully penned..!
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Oh wow, you have said exactly what I have been thinking and feeling. To perfection. She is ill. Everyone and everything is ill. Thinking of that makes compassion possible, hopefully.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that such destruction is accepted assuming that some fix will be found in the future. Mankind had the greatest potential of all the species but was unaware his own wiring was wrong.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! You enter my mind with these parts. My favorite is the second with its preference for gambling over prophesying, but I love applying the Kubler Ross stages in the third as well! This is truly a prompt to ponder. Thank you for the Gibran!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think we really, really need to realise that it isn't (and shouldn't be) all about us. This wonderful earth is home to a lot of other species too...
"that I must love it, do my best to sustain it while we heal or we die." the only way to sustain this dying planet...i like the progression of the poem from faith to despair to acceptance to action however little that might be...beautifully penned Myrna...
ReplyDeleteWow! A plenthora of emotions washed over me as I read your poem. Our earth is ill and so are the stupid people trying to destroy it. Such powerful emotions captured!
ReplyDeleteNot disparate at all...a very clear coming together of thought, feeling and acceptance..that must be a step towards making it better for those who come next..i hope..i hope
ReplyDeleteGreat poems. The idea of grief as part of helping the earth is a great one.
ReplyDeleteMyrna,
ReplyDeleteYou have captured just about everything horrible that is slowly ruining and changing the world we once knew, irrepairably forever. As sad as the death of a dearly loved friend. One lives in hope, but slowly it leaves you...I wish it was a kinder place too..You have a wisdom, akin to Sherry Blue Sky, Myrna:)
Eileen
for a long time i thought we'd manage to fix things but it's getting worse and worse. i try to do what i can do to help her heal - like buying local food - trying to reduce plastic garbage - i use curd soap to shower actually - small things like that - maybe they don't make a difference but that's all i can do...
ReplyDeleteI like to imagine the Earth closer, like the streets around your home...Will we take care about our surrounding? Acceptance and doing what is possible only the way. Passionate write!
ReplyDeleteThe prophet is a classic.
ReplyDeleteAnd great writing, well done!
I am glad I am not a prophet as well. I would like to think the future could be brighter than what I imagine from this day and age. I still have hope, but it will take a lot of change for something better to come.
ReplyDeleteI agree: not disparate but a progression. Beautifully said.
ReplyDeleteSo much packed into these lines... I was really taken by,
ReplyDelete'I'm glad I'm not a prophet,
I'd rather be a gambler
waging bets on dreams.'
Yes, I'm with you there...
Myrna, that first stanza succinctly states my own feelings. Your poem is beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful and thoughtful write...so much said, or whispered under your breath...I am also glad I am not a prophet...so much I cannot change, I can only be responsibile for myself, and my own actions and in this I will be the gambler, and hope the patient can survive.
ReplyDeletei dunno - i could swear that i commented on this one already... if i were a gambler i would try everything to gamble back health for our earth... even working in all the tricks that are a bit doubtful as well...ha
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful capture of the growth and maturity of your thought, Myrna... I enjoyed this one very much and had to go back and re-read it twice more.
ReplyDelete