Monday, April 5, 2021

When the World Begins to Sing

 

photo by Elisabeth Smith of Tofino

Come walk by the shore with me,
so teeming with life.
Hear the mussels clicking
and crackling on the rocks.
See the anemones waving their stubby
little arms in tidal pools;
when I gently touch, they curl
them in protectively,
just like us when we are poked.
Starfish cling to the rocks
in glorious shades of green,
eggplant, orange.

One year, our starfish had
the wasting disease;
we are happy to see them
flourishing again.
Sometimes they get stranded
on the sand; we put them back
in the water quickly
so they don't die. They breathe
through their legs in sea water.
In 2017, on the Welsh coast, octopi
were crawling out of the sea and
beaching themselves on land.
We don't know why.

The message of nature is abundance.
I walk in wonder at how much
life and beauty there is,
despite all that is wrong
in the human realm.
The non-human realm has
one focus: to live.
Buds unfurl; species reproduce;
flocks of sandpipers circle and swoop
at the edge of the sea.
Eagles ride the thermals,
circling lazily on the currents.
Sometimes they swoop down 
thrillingly, grasp a fish
in curved talons,
swoop away.

vilella vilella
source


Small purple  "by-the-wind-sailors",
like little sailboats,
are scattered by the thousands
across the sand. I catch my breath.

Life teems, as munificent
as our best human dreams.
Everywhere is growth, is birth,
is spring.  Listen as, everywhere,
the whole birthing, burgeoning world
begins to sing.

Day 5. And shared at earthweal where Brendan set us to viewing the teeming world in the corner of the planet where we are. Every walk along the shore, or along the forest trail, I marvel at how much life there is here.

11 comments:

  1. So much life. So much beauty. We have to concentrate on that despite all that is wrong. It is the only way we can survive.

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  2. You took me to my second favorite place after woodlands. Thank you for the day trip.

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  3. So far this morning I have had a walk in the bush, one along a harbour, and now on the shore, Sherry, and it’s only 9.30 am! The ocean is so full of life, it’s also the biggest mystery on the planet. I enjoyed the sounds and sights in the opening stanza, so busy and colourful. I haven’t seen any starfish on our local beaches, perhaps it’s too cold here, but I did see them in Ireland. I love the lines:
    ‘The non-human realm has
    one focus: to live.
    Buds unfurl; species reproduce;
    flocks of sandpipers circle and swoop
    at the edge of the sea.’
    It seems the human race has a death-wish.

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  4. There is so much life, and so many lessons we can learn from the natural world of which we are part! I do worry that the balance is already tipping though, when I see nothing but jellyfish washed up on the beach and, in warmer weather, swarms of mosquitoes everywhere :-(

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  5. A teeming testament to the indomitable sprawl of life. I think was have to remember that teeming to care that it keeps flourishing. Thanks for this contribution to the weekly challenge. 'Tis ripe and rich.

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  6. The abundance of life on earth is staggering. It does seem like one gigantic song sometimes. 😀 Suzanne

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  7. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we let things 'teem' instead of that hypocritical 'management' ie culling we dole out, at the same time slaughtering 150 billion animals a year for food.

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  8. I would enjoy walking along the shore with you. There is so much to see and feel. I miss the ocean.. sigh..

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  9. You live in a wonderful place out there, Sherry, I particularly liked
    Hear the mussels clicking
    and crackling on the rocks.
    See the anemones waving their stubby
    little arms in tidal pools;
    when I gently touch, they curl
    them in protectively,
    just like us when we are poked.
    Starfish cling to the rocks
    in glorious shades of green,
    eggplant, orange.
    I'll have to get out there again soon...JIM

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  10. Love those green, eggplant, orange starfish!

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