Joanna, Chris, me and Elisabeth
walking for the wild things
photos by Joanna's talented daughter, Toby
We walked,
people of all ages
and a dozen big goofy, happy dogs,
from the fire,
across the tombolo
to Ts'ix-wat-sats,
just before sunset.
people of all ages
and a dozen big goofy, happy dogs,
from the fire,
across the tombolo
to Ts'ix-wat-sats,
just before sunset.
“Despair is an indulgence,”
Joanna quoted.
“Let’s set our minds towards hope.”
Joanna quoted.
“Let’s set our minds towards hope.”
We walked, mindfully,
single file,
and I pondered.
I have been discouraged.
What could I bring back
single file,
and I pondered.
I have been discouraged.
What could I bring back
to the communal fire
that was about hope?
that was about hope?
It came to me,
like the silver gleam
on the shining sea.
The shamans say
we are at a critical moment
in the evolution of the soul
of this planet.
As awareness of climate change
increases, we begin,
of necessity, to evolve,
The shamans say
we are at a critical moment
in the evolution of the soul
of this planet.
As awareness of climate change
increases, we begin,
of necessity, to evolve,
(those of us who are aware
and awake.)
This is, if we will it,
a transformative moment.
The people – we, ourselves -
can make the evolutionary leap
beyond those who are fixated on money.
It is within our power – our possibility –
to move with the winds of change
and create other ways of being
with the earth
than the old, tired ways of fossil fuels,
rich billionaires, despairing others.
The soul of our planet is on the cusp
of a Great Awakening.
of a Great Awakening.
The bad news:
Nothing will ever be the same again.
The good news:
Nothing will ever be the same again.
Nothing will ever be the same again.
Our wonderful Poet Laureate, Joanna Streetly, organized a gathering at Chestermans Beach late this afternoon, to pay homage to the many species we have lost, and are still losing. We all carry grief over this, but Joanna urged us to hold onto hope. I do think Mother Earth needs our hope - and our action - as never before. I will post photos of our gathering as they become available. Meanwhile, here is what I wrote down when I got home.
P.S. I wrote "Pup" in the sand and drew a heart around it. In Memoriam.
P.S. I wrote "Pup" in the sand and drew a heart around it. In Memoriam.
Sharing this with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United - fine reading every Sunday morning. With thanks to Joanna, who inspires me.
Wow!
ReplyDeleteBad news, Good news. Preach!
Thanks Sherry! It was awesome to see you xx And to see everyone. Tanya is already talking about "next year"
ReplyDeleteA wonderful poem, full of truths we need to remember!
ReplyDeleteTo set one's mind towards hope is real hard work but possible. This is wonderfully inspiring. I can see you writing & drawing on the sand. Pup is forever inside your heart.
ReplyDeleteSo true - nothing will ever be the same again. I hadn't thought before of the fact that this is both good AND bad news. Very touching that you wrote Pup's name in the sand. We have to keep our memories....AND our hopes.
ReplyDeleteRight now, we need for things to stop being the same... even if the change implies losing some of the good with the bad. There is just so much bad.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sherry. The world is full of good news and bad. I'm sure you remember back to our childhood just as I do, when despair hadn't entered the equation. Now we have to help others get up out of despair and out into the light of a new tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteK
Oh, I wish I could have been there~ What an impact you all have made! Pup was there with you and I love that you honored his memory! This is so, touching both the act of many and your poem~
ReplyDeleteGreat poem and manifesto for hope in the Anthropocene. I know despair is fruitless but the broken heart of it goes so deeply. Maybe my wires resound too wetly with the black depth, I "hope" not. Sure wished I could have joined you all on that beach. It's dark down here.
ReplyDeleteI feel heartbroken to my soul, too, Brendan. But events like this - and the light that shines so strongly in this place where I am privileged to live - does help me hope - some days!
DeleteOh this tugs strongly at my heart, Sherry. Life is that way we lose things which we hold dear and learn to move on with time. This is a beautiful poem.
ReplyDeleteYou gave words to a wonderful coming together. I pictured myself walking too as a witness. More wakes and funerals for what is lost is called for, I believe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful celebration and remembrance! I find it easy to forget that hope comes from effort and from being able to appreciate what has been, not just what might be. Something to keep in mind.
ReplyDelete“Despair is an indulgence,” wise words
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your walk of hope with us Sherry
Luv the tribute to Pup
Happy you dropped by my sumie Sunday today
Much💜love
Sherry I love this one!!! The ideas, the people and the dogs!!!
ReplyDeleteThis event and your words are so needed now....yes we evolve and so does the Mother, and we are inextricably woven together to save each other or perish together. Yes we must each make this important decision. Beautiful Sherry!
ReplyDeleteActually it's not too bad to live with a less impact... of using the car as little as possible, of eating stuff that hurts the soil less and consuming less... all of those things makes us feel better... so we don't have to wait...
ReplyDeleteThose small choices do make a difference, dont they, Bjorn? we try to live consciously here in this village. It is one of the things I love - being surrounded by like-minded people.
DeleteThis really touched my heart, loved it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great thing to do and write about, Sherry! Setting your minds towards hope and walking! I love that hope came to you ‘like the silver gleam / on the rolling sea’.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful tribute. The act of walking single file sends quite a powerful message. Climate change needs more spotlights like the one you just took part in. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteThere is something so authentic when people come together and march or walk in a spirit of reverence and change - and you're captured that wonderfully here, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteBad news can also be good news. I love that message of hope in this poem!
ReplyDeleteWhat could I bring back
ReplyDeleteto the communal fire
that was about hope?... i love that introspection. But what i see around me is just apathy and self indulgence.. instead of awareness or fear or hope...
I dearly wish this was the case but the evidence is all around us that most nations leaders just don't care! Catastophic weather conditions don't raise a eyebrow but we must keep digging for coal and dumping rubbish in the oceans is OK as it will go somewhere else, and what's the point of all these wild animals if we can't eat them; their heads look far better on our walls.
ReplyDeleteyou are right about 'nothing will ever be the same again.'
ReplyDeleteone wonders if it is already too late. but the community's actions give us hope.
So touching and beautiful Sherry!
ReplyDelete