When forests fall,
do the mother trees weep tears,
do the roots grip hands
under the forest floor,
cling to the earth,
resist the grapple-yarder?
Do they hurt, coming out
of the ground like
the wisdom teeth of the planet
are being pulled?
When forests fall,
thumping hard onto the earth,
wild ones fleeing in terror
as the worst predator on earth
approaches with screeching saw,
do the nature spirits rage
or only mourn, rage being
foreign to their nature?
When forests fall,
and temperatures climb,
and forked-tongue,
self-satisfied politicians
speak untruths to soothe the masses,
we speak for the trees,
we stand for the trees,
we plead for the trees,
we risk arrest for the trees
and still
the forests fall.
Day 14
Sharing with earthweal's open link
This made me ache deep inside. Yes, I believe that all of nature weeps when trees fall to the greed of uncaring beings. All we can do is keep speaking against it. It sounds like so little, but we must continue trying.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Dittos.
DeleteThis is heartbreaking!
ReplyDeleteWonderful, Sherry! But the forests, still would they rise!
ReplyDeleteCentral Oregon is into ‘prescribed burns’ season which I loathe. Yes, forests and wildlife and humans cry ~~~~
ReplyDeleteI think when a tree falls the forest weeps. I am weeping as I can hear the thump of a fallen tree.
ReplyDeleteI think it is for us -- the human element on earth -- to rage and weep and fight for the forests: For trees, they sustain, fall, seek a way to come back while providing comfort and canopy. As solar is replacing oil, why not seek alternate ways to build shelter and ban clearcutting?
ReplyDeleteA heart-breaking poem, Sherry! I’m certain trees weep and hurt, we just can’t hear them. I love the image of roots gripping hands under the forest floor but the ‘wisdom teeth of the planet […] being pulled made me wince. We n must continue to speak up for the trees.
ReplyDeleteI too wonder if the roots maintain the lifespark. The destructive hunger of man must be stemmed, or the future is lost.
ReplyDeletewisdome teeth! That is an excellent description! Powerful words.
ReplyDeleteyes, they do ~
ReplyDelete'Do they hurt, coming out
ReplyDeleteof the ground like
the wisdom teeth of the planet
are being pulled?'
I felt the viscerally of this, Sherry. It's heartbreaking, but we must continue to stand until people come to their senses or until every last tree has fallen and there is nothing left to fight for.