In the lobby of Hotel Zed,
there is a photo of activists
on the road in Clayoquot Sound
in the summer of '93. I was there,
some misty mornings before dawn,
listening to the gentle beat of the tom-toms,
breathing in woodsmoke from the fire,
waiting for the big trucks to roll in,
and the police to come and make their arrests.
Let's name a few things: old growth.
Forestry. Clearcuts. Climate change.
Heat domes. Wildfires. Floods.
Instability.
Back then, we were warning
that time (and trees) were running out.
that time (and trees) were running out.
Today, we are past the tipping point.
Clearcuts are still happening,
along with all the rest.
In the lobby of Hotel Zed,
there is a fun cubicle draped
with curtains, that has a crystal ball
on the table, over which I crooked my fingers,
invoking the future, to make
my friend laugh.
Then we drove into town,
past all the trees coming down,
and our smiles faded, the way
the fires went out when they shut
the Peace Camp down,
the way the land defenders
at Fairy Creek stopped singing
when the pepper spray
hit their faces, the way
we're still trying to save trees
when there are hardly any
forests left alive.
the fires went out when they shut
the Peace Camp down,
the way the land defenders
at Fairy Creek stopped singing
when the pepper spray
hit their faces, the way
we're still trying to save trees
when there are hardly any
forests left alive.
Inspired by In the Lobby of Holiday Inn Express by Jean Reinhold. Shared with earthweal's open link.
Your words make it difficult for me not to sob, literally.
ReplyDeleteI know, Helen. I feel the same pain. Thanks for reading, and for caring.
ReplyDeleteThose were good times, Sherry. Times when one could be hopeful of a better future, when we hoped that what we did had an impact. We are still 'warning,' but as you said....past warning now. It is almost too late.
ReplyDeletesigh isn't a big enough word ~
ReplyDelete