Earth Day – Last Will and Testament – Dave Burnham

Posted on by Opher

Today is Earth Day

The Will

This is the Last Will and Testament

Of Planet Earth

This is my inheritance

For what it’s worth

To the warmongers

Tyrants and kings

I bestow you medals

For your arrows and slings

Deep underground

In your bunkered prisons

Too late in the day

For your newfound wisdom

To the industrialists and politicians

Obsessed with growth

Who’ve knowingly broken

Many a pledge and troth

I bequeath you status

And unlimited power

Surveying devastation

From your ivory towers

To the billionaires

In your capsules in space

I leave the diamonds

You tore from my face

The things you deem precious

All my silver and gold

For you to count

As you grow old

To the descendants

Of those I first bore

Who bred and swarmed

In the pursuit of more

I leave you the memory

Of what you once had

Before you tarred my skin

And those you thought mad

Had YOU had the Will

To change your course

I would live still

To be your source

Signed by Planet Earth:

at the eleventh hour

Witnessed by:

Every environmental organisation and activist ever to exist

Thanks to Dave Burnham for this great piece!

The Blue Dot

Posted on by Opher

The Blue Dot

Every dream that ever was

Every single sigh

Every life that’s ever lived

Every what and why

Every kiss and cuddle

Every kick and cry

Every act that’s ever been

Through the by and by

Everything that’s ever lived

From the beginning to now

Every life that might have been

Or could ever take a bow.

Every bird and every bee

Every virus and tree

Every single dinosaur

Or performing flea.

Nowhere else in the universe

Does such a wonder exist.

A tiny blue dot in space

That would never even be missed

Opher 11.6.2021

That little blue dot photograph puts everything in perspective. We are an insignificant speck. That is all. We are not significant.

Yet this speck contains all life.

Every form of life that has ever lived. Every human being. Every act of life. It has only happened here.

One day, when the sun evolves into a red giant and engulfs the Earth, it will all be gone.

Planet Earth – a poem that is an apology.

Posted on by Opher

Planet Earth

 

It is the thirteenth of June 2018

On a warm summer’s day

That I have spent writing and reading.

It was a pleasant day.

Yet there were no swifts in the sky this afternoon.

I am sorry for that.

My garden is full of flowers and the grass is mown

But there is no room for nature.

I am sorry for that too.

What are we doing to you?

How can you bear it?

As we dig and chop,

Fence and rip,

Sterilise and sanitise.

Is this what you want?

That we should tame and reduce?

Tie you in knots?

And reduce your complexity

To our simplicity?

How long will you put up with it?

Mother Earth

Are you powerless?

Planet earth can you hear me?

I am talking to you.

You gave me so much

And I value it all.

But this is becoming less by the day.

How can you bear to see so much destroyed?

So many creatures killed?

So much cruelty and pain?

Planet Earth

Is it alright if we cause you to bleed like this?

Planet Earth

You’ve given me a full life

Laden with stars, sunsets and rainbows

Rocks, trees and seas,

Creatures of all kinds,

Plants and wonders

Always wonders –

How can I repay you?

You’ve been my home for 69 years –

An endless time of love and change.

All I can do

Is say thank you.

I am so sorry.

 

Opher 13.6.2018

 

 

I do not happen to believe in Gaia – that the planet is really alive and has consciousness. At least I don’t think so. That type of mysticism is attractive but fanciful.

But I did find it an interesting poetic idea to talk to her as if she was alive.

So what is there to be said?

It seemed to me that the most important thing was to apologize for the mess we are making.

Life is so obviously the jewel in the crown. Life, in all its forms, is a marvel. Yet do we hold it sacred? No we do not. We are destroying species after species, ravaging habitats with impunity and treating life with disdain.

There is an arrogance about mankind that insists that humans are the only worthwhile life upon the planet. That is risible. All life is important. We all started from that same one miracle cell. We’ve all evolved for the same length of time. We all fit together in this remarkable jigsaw puzzle of life. Yet that is the jigsaw puzzle that we are dismantling. We are throwing away piece after piece. Soon we will lose sight of the big picture.

We need to start appreciating it.

I’m sorry Planet Earth. We’re acting like spoilt brats.

Planet Earth – a poem.

Posted on by Opher

Planet Earth

 

It is the thirteenth of June 2018

On a warm summer’s day that I have spent writing and reading.

It was a pleasant day.

Yet there were no swifts in the sky this afternoon.

I am sorry for that.

My garden is full of flowers and the grass is mown

But there is no room for nature.

I am sorry for that too.

What are we doing to you?

How can you bear it?

As we dig and chop,

Fence and rip,

Sterilize and sanitize.

Is this what you want?

That we should tame and reduce?

Tie you in knots?

And reduce your complexity

To our simplicity?

How long will you put up with it?

Mother earth

Are you powerless?

Planet earth can you hear me?

I am talking to you.

You gave me so much

And I value it all.

But you are becoming less and less by the day.

How can you bear to see so much destroyed?

So many creatures killed?

So much cruelty and pain?

Planet earth

Is it alright if we cause you to bleed like this?

Planet earth

You’ve given me a full life

Laden with stars, sunsets and rainbows

Rocks, trees and seas,

Creatures of all kinds,

Plants and wonders

Always wonders –

How can I repay you?

You’ve been my home for 69 years –

An endless time of love and change.

All I can do

Is say thank you.

I am so sorry.

 

Opher 13.6.2018

I wrote this with a nod to Allen Ginsberg.