My wild mind clawed its way out of the desert,
across the mountains to the western sea,
plunged itself into old growth forest,
saturated my heart with starfish and eagles
and herons and grinning joyous beach dogs,
plunged into the surf, discovered - breathlessly -
bioluminescence, fell in love with mountain,
sea and sky. This place was the entire answer
to my soul's question: why?
My wild spirit first had to flee abuse,
oppression, patriarchy, everything
that set itself to limit the expansion of my soul.
I found my wild heart's home in the green places,
with the wild ones. There is a certain landscape
that called to me, wherein I finally
grew whole.
Green fire! I find it among the ancient trees,
fierce love, as I try to save those who are left.
A wolf howl in my heart that grieves
all that is passing away; a faint hope,
flickering, that I can find a way
to make them stay.
I wrote this after I walked through Tonquin forest, half of it laid waste, the heavy equipment roaring so loud, past their depradations along the trail to the beach, where there is peace and calm still, and a diminished habitat for the wild creatures. Tofino Natural Heritage is doing all we can to try to save what is left.
Sharing with Desperate Poets, where we are contemplating our wild minds and spirits.
You have shown yourself to be a very strong and capable woman for all you have overcome. Yes, the hope is faint....but it is still there...flickering. May the flame of hope survive.
ReplyDeleteHow grateful are we and the earth to you and all those people trying to save the trees and animals. It sure was a hard road but you got there...all credit to you!
ReplyDeleteThe first verse is an ode to being born into the wild. The root and seed from which your own beautiful tree grew. All you can do is be that....and you do. Here's to the wild in you, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteWild mind, wild spirit, green fire in the wild ones: what a thing to pray for, praying for humanity to go. A wild woman said it, we are her amen.
ReplyDeleteYou know this resonates with me, Sherry. I was raised in Chicago sprawl and filth, where my only escape was the vast expanse of Lake Michigan, and where the noise and the sheer press of humanity seemed to block any kind of peace. To find space, life, wildness, saved my spirit and self, and you bring that grace of nature's salvation to us here in every green flame. I too pray that somehow there will be enough of us who need them to find a way to make them stay.
ReplyDeleteI love “green fire.” That is so evocative!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying not to hope for TOO much from Robert Kennedy, much as he seems to want to stand up to the greedheads and their "bigness." At least he'll give the party that's almost certain to win, something to think about...
ReplyDelete