Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Dolphin Screams

[image from google : follybeach.com ]

In Taiji,
the day's "harvest"
of dolphins,
trapped in cages,
was abandoned
as the harvesters
fled to safety.

Six times
the waters
washed in.
Six times
the waters
receded.
Each time
the caged dolphins
were dashed
against the rocks,
screaming
in agony.

At least 24
of these beautiful,
intelligent creatures
perished
most horribly.

This is
the other side
of the human
character.
Souls
without
light.

[This poem was sparked by Scott West's report yesterday from the Sea Shepherd, which was in Japan to increase awareness about the dolphin slaughter, that goes on there routinely. I took his phrase "souls without light", and my thoughts about the dolphins, one small part of this terrible tragedy, to write this poem.

If you are interested, the documentary The Cove tells about the killing of dolphins in the bay at Taiji, a practice that should be outlawed.]

4 comments:

  1. Very tragic...most unfortunate...this is heartrending.

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  2. This piece gave me chills, Sherry. My heart breaks every bit as painfully for animal carnage as for the human kind. I love the contrast in this pair of poems you've posted...the yin and yang of our human condition.

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  3. A heartless act. I have been watching this
    tragedy unfold, it is horrifying.

    Pamela

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  4. My heart is broken for the people of Japan, but also for all God's creatures. I pray for them all.

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