ManicDDaily at dVerse Poets asks us to be both green and poetic. Tough call!
The world's an ancient donkey,
we've flogged it half to death,
it's grossly over-laden
and fighting for its breath
.
We pay a guy to follow it
and scrape up all its shit...
recycling it's known as --
so then we've done our bit!
We've totally ignored that
the bones are poking through
and in time will be no more than
a pool of sticky goo.
Emblazoned on its nosebag:
Nature, she is cyclic,
puts back what she takes.
Man just took, thus I am sick.
The other side reads:OATS
GUARANTEED ORGANIC
GROWN LOCALLY.
(But proven to be toxic.)
He was resource--ful once
and seemed he'd go for ever.
Now all his powers depleted,
we do not look so clever.
Beyond our ministrations
and close to no return...
So could the donkey cure himself?
(We've far too much to learn.)
We'd need to set it free
(The harness first to go),
find fodder where it may --
a feral donkey... no?
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20 comments:
So sad and so true and poetry does not seem to make it more palatable. but thanks for tryint.
...a big heeehaw for the rhyming effort sir... and oh, just so we know again...we still live in world with gravity..and what goes up must def come down... how the world have come to be so high in everything these days ha..def must go & meet the hell of hells... nature takes a lot but puts back sometimes even more what has been taken... but oh, the wild asses... too clever to even get more and more and more until nature breathes no more...ah, now that's sickening...nah, i mean slowly digging our own holes to hell... though i wouldn't want too see a falling equus from a high high repeated history tower.. ah, i guess i don't have any choice but kiss the ass hell of it... and that sucks... heeehaw...
..grip..grippin' read...aww...
..smiles...
Fun analogy and rhyme.
"Ferile Donkey" indeed!
I'd trade in the donkey for a race horse or a llama.
I'm actually not worried about the donkey (nature), because when beat enough, they just turn around and destroy the beater. Nature will always win.
Now, worrying about humans -- that we should worry about.
Nicely done
Hi Dave-- a very clever kind of analogy here - donkeys are made fun of but they are very sure footed and I always find them to have such pretty faces - I went through a phase when visiting Mexico of drawing them instead of elephants--Your rhyme is fun and points are well taken - I still am in favor of the local oats! But it is funny here there's been a bit of scandal about arsenic in brown rice - it is naturally occurring but can come in pretty high levels. Still, my sense is that it's quite a bit better for you than Doritos. Thanks much. k.
ah it makes me sad thinking of our mother earth as a donkey, beaten...ugh we should rather take good care of her...i wish there was a way..not sure if she could cure herself in the state she's in.. ugh
Good job on narrating the ancient donkey ~ The words on its nosebag, though is sobering, Man just took, thus I am sick ~ Maybe a feral donkey, yes ~
What an analogy to see the world as a beaten donkey.. thus was was tought evoking.
I do feel sorry for that poor donkey, Dave. Good about the recycling, but sad about the bones. Seems like we can only do things half-assed.
(LOL. I am pleased with my pun!!)
strong piece sir...you had me hooked at the opening stanza....i dont know if the guys can scrape fast enough to keep up with us you know....wonder when the donkey will get tired of taking a beating from us as well....
I have to confess...I hadn't made a connection between those poor little depleted donkeys we see on the charity ads on TV and Mother Earth.
So your poem literally took my breath away!
"Man just took, thus I am sick" particularly sent shivers up my spine.
How many warnings does it take before the powers that be take it seriously?
If you and I can see it, then why oh why can't they?
Guess we just have to keep trying.
An absolutely riveting write, Dave.
Fantastic.:)
The rhyming intensifies the sadness of the analogy. And what a great depiction of our mood towards nature. Excellent write.
A feral donkey ! Highly provocative, brilliantly possible to raise controversy..I smiled at the end despite the sad and rightly bitter undertone.
Thought-provoking. A superb effort for a green poem.
Wow! Love your poem. If you are feeling puerile shoot me a limerick
I always think donkeys have such sad eyes - certainly this one does.
you have quite made me cry.
Thanks, Dave for touching our hearts.
ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3
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True - and how I wish it wasn't.
Someone says "good old days", but your words are more powerfully tell us how and what we have lost in Nature and left behind...
Tabor
I think you absolutely right, that poetry cannot make it more palatable. Maybe make more unpalatable to those who seem not to be concerned?
Kelvin
Thanks for the heeehaw, Appeciated that!
slowly digging our own holes to hell: your phrase seems to me to put it exactly. Again, thanks.
Sabio
I do share your optimism that nature will always win -- Also like you, I'm just not sure that mankind will be there to see it. Thanks for the comments.
Manicddaily
Absolutely, I'm for the oats also. I did see a reference awhile back though, to oats having been contaminated by fallout and elsewhere by modified plants. In general though, I'm with you in your comments. Doritos not in the running!
ClaudiaI was looking for a symbol of Mother Earth and chose the donkey because I thought it might arouse sympathy in the minds of some who so far seem so unconcerned about the planet.
Grace Mmmm, I must admit to not having developed the feral bit in my thinking. It comes from the belief that Earth will restore itself as per the Gaia Myth.
Brudberg
Thanks for this. Most helpful comment.
Mary
Good point. Yes, I think you may be right in that!
Brian
Yeah, me too. Maybe I ought to write a sequel: when the donkey turns! Thanks for the comments.
Ygraine
Thanks for this most encouraging comment. I wonder if it is that they can't see or they prefer no to look for their eyes are on other things. Someone else can clear up the mess later. My Gran was always saying: None so blind as those that won't see!
anthonynortth
Thank you so much. Heartwarming comment to have had.
Tommaso
Again, a challengingly oroginal comment, for which much thanks. Yes, controvery was part of the expectation.
vivinfrance
Hi, good to have your visit and your much appreciated comment.
Emmak
Thanks. Will certainly try.
rowentaw
All the better to tempt in the loiterers - hopefully! Thanks so much for this.
Cloudia
Did not quite intend that. Maybe there's a bit of overkill in my poem?
The Elephant's Child
And so say all of us! (Well, not quite enough of us actually!) Thanks.
haricot
Yes, you are right. It is about loss. Loss and neglect.
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