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Monday 12 November 2012

This be the planet

This is the planet that nurtured life
from the moment life began,
the way a man will blow on a spark
in order to kindle a flame.

This is the planet that welcomed life
and awarded it top spot,
gave it the keys to its atmosphere,
and the freedom of ocean and rock.

This is the planet that stocked its shelves
with all the essentials for life:
trace elements, carbon and vitamins --
and left it to fashion its prize. 

This is the planet that held its breath,
preserving what others had lost --
and preserved it well until man appeared
and fiddled with all the controls.

This is the planet that healed itself
with feedback, nudge and tweak,
until it was pushed way over the edge
into Chaos and Prospect Bleak.

This is the planet out on  a limb
in need of a settings change.
Its final, desperate hope is to
recapture its maker's range.

11 comments:

A Cuban In London said...

And may I respectfully add, this is our planet? Nobody else's, it's ours to keep, to protect. And to lose ultimately.

Beautiful poem. And with a very strong message.

Greetings from London.

Carl said...

Wonderful and sadly true. Mankind will not fix the issue eventually the planet will preserve itself and hit the reset button I think.

Brian Miller said...

great enviro message in this....its a shame when we are given much and all we do is take from it...until it can no longer stand it....and yes something must be done...

Tabor said...

Depressingly true.

Gerry Snape said...

great poem and as "A cuban in london says"....ours to look after!!

Mary said...

Dave, I love the philosophy expressed in this poem. This is our planet. We must do our best to 'recapture its maker's range.'

Elephant's Child said...

True. I wish it wasn't.

haricot said...

The refrains sound like surging waves and make me think about our planet again and again... I think the last stanza is heartful aspiration.

kaykuala said...

This is all that we have. All that Providence had provided. Must we just be so irresponsible as to let it suffer, disintegrate or destroyed. Man has been given the parameters of needed action. But man is so engrossed in casting sufferings on those lame and weak. Nicely Dave!

Hank

Dave King said...

A Cuban inLondon
You are so right. It is ours, it is up to us. If only...

Carl
I think so, too. I'm trusting Gaia. I fshe can't see us through, we're done for!

Brian
That puts it in a nutshell, exactly what we've done -- and are still doing, that's the preposterous part!

Tabor
Thanks - if that's the right response for such a subject.

Gerry
Yes, that puts it as it should be. no argument.

Mary
Thanks Mary. Maybe if we all howl long and hard enough...

The Elephant's Child
Amen to that!

haricot
I like the sound of those surging waves. Thanks.

Hank
Difficult to believe of our own genus, but yes.



Sherry Blue Sky said...

Beautiful, Dave, and you know how deeply this poem resonates with me.