Big Lonely Doug,
all of your family is gone,
hauled away on the back of logging trucks,
to places far away.
all of your family is gone,
hauled away on the back of logging trucks,
to places far away.
Mea culpa.
We are saddened by your lonely stand.
We play you a bittersweet song
to let you know
we understand
We are saddened by your lonely stand.
We play you a bittersweet song
to let you know
we understand
the grief of being
the last one standing,
the missing what is gone,
the feel of phantom limbs,
the ghost tree spirits
on the land.
the last one standing,
the missing what is gone,
the feel of phantom limbs,
the ghost tree spirits
on the land.
Big Lonely Doug, a Douglas fir, stands at the edge of a clearcut near Port Renfrew, on the southern west coast of Vancouver Island. It is near the glorious Avatar Grove, which is as magical as the forest in the film of the same name. It is also near Fairy Creek, thus is endangered in every direction.
This second tree is Eik, a famous 800 year old tree in the village of Tofino. Poet Christine Lowther rallied the villagers to protect it when it was in danger of being cut because it was leaning over an area where a developer wanted to build condos. Two young people spent 28 days on a platform high in the tree, to protect it while efforts were made to save its life.
The village raised $100,000 to brace Eik, a monumental sum for a small population on the edge. But Eik still stands triumphantly at the side of the road leading into the village centre, welcoming residents and weary travellers.
for earthweal: Everything In the Forest Is the Forest
I am glad you followed the poem about the lone tree with a poem about people rallying to save an old tree in your village. There is still good in the world. I hope we find a way to build on it.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to read about these threatened giants, but a wonderful tale of hope in the story of Elk and the people who rallied to save it!
ReplyDeleteTrees are so love-able. We instinctively respond to them as living things.
ReplyDeleteThe despair I read in The Overstory is that there is so little we can do to stop the clear-cutting, capitalism is too powerful (efforts to fight it with fire failed miserably). All we can do is carry and plant seeds and pray that there will be a time for growth after us -- poetry is that work, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteWhat a dreadful situation. I am glad you told us about this. You inspired a poem from me.
ReplyDeleteToo many phantom limbs these day. Keep reminding us, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteThis poem speaks volumes about humanity bad and good!
ReplyDeleteIf everything in the forest is forest, what does one tree mean? A forest gone forever, or a remaining hope. I feel your grief. I grieve too.
ReplyDeleteAn amazing video!
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