Category: Environment

NaPoWriMo Day 5

On By WinstonIn Embrace the Wild, Environment, Global Issues, Green Energy, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Reaping What We've Sown, Science, Society, spring, The Bill Always Comes Due, The Choices We Make, ValuesLeave a comment

So, the area I live in is currently in the grip of a massive, late season ice storm. Today’s poem is in recognition of this and looks at the dangers of climate change and our role in it. Enjoy!

Anthropocene

Ice yet lies thick upon the ground,

Though winter’s in the past,

Now any day the spring will come,

This mis’ry cannot last.

Yet ice still clings to every branch,

And turns the roads to glass,

But soon enough this all will melt,

Replaced by sweet, green grass.

And still the ice yet thicker grows,

What if this is the year?

The winter holds on just too long,

What will we eat my dear?

Ice covered fields, as yet unthawed,

Too late to plant a crop,

You think this just a farmer thing,

Wait ‘til you try to shop!

The ice is just our weather here,

Elsewhere it’s floods and drought,

With wildfires burning free,

Can be but little doubt.

This ice you see is just one face,

Of what our choices bought,

Now look in terror ‘round the globe,

What our own hands have wrought.

This ice will melt, do not despair,

The end is not yet writ,

We yet may change our future path,

If we but find the wit.

Yet even though the ice will melt,

Don’t think that all is well,

If we refuse to change our ways,

That tale’s too sad to tell.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 27

On By WinstonIn Environment, Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Poetry, Society, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Today is the 27th of May here in Ottawa and it is snowing steadily and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. This is more than a little unusual. A few flakes, a mini flurry sure. Not uncommon you say. But this isn’t that. This is uncommon for this time of year. It gave rise to today’s poem.

Look What We’ve Done

Though it is spring and crocus bloom,

The snow comes falling down.

To blanket once more all in white,

And in it’s stillness drown.

I will not rant, the weather curse,

For nature’s not to blame.

This one’s on us, the life we choose,

Yes humans are to blame.

We have been told, for years and years,

What we are headed for.

We’ve seen the signs, they’re everywhere,

But chosen to ignore.

But now the snow, and not a bit,

Enough to make a point.

That we have buggered up the world,

Put nature out of joint.

But we don’t want to see that truth,

So some excuse will make.

The climate is a complex thing,

And “facts” easy to fake.

And all the while, the snow comes down,

Soon summer fires burn.

While we go on the way we have,

And greenhouse gases churn.

So weep not for the crocus now,

Blooms lost beneath the snow.

Weep for the children yet to come,

And all they will not know.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 21

On By WinstonIn Embrace the Wild, Environment, Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal Responsibility, SocietyLeave a comment

If you have been reading my entries so far this year, you will know that I love nature. So when I look at what we do to it and our wholesale destruction of it, I get pretty depressed. But it’s not hopeless. There are much smarter people than I who are working at ways to undo some of the harm we have done and minimize it going forward. I can only hope we can find a way forward for all life on the Earth, not just the human parts of it.

The Time Is Now

I feel the earth within my bones,

In my blood flows the sea.

I am the green and growing land,

It’s creatures living free.

I am the burning desert sands,

The ancient glacier’s ice.

I am the mighty lion’s roar,

And scampering of mice.

Yes I am nature, I am all,

The things you should embrace.

But do it soon. No! Do it now!

These treasures can’t replace.

I am the silent island there,

Beneath a rising sea.

A silence spreading everywhere,

When you have murdered me.

It’s not too late, there still is time,

To change what fate we choose.

But though there’s time, there is not much,

And surely none to lose.

So make the choice and take a step,

Toward that better way.

Just have the faith to make the change,

We’ll see a better day.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 14

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Environment, Global Issues, homelessness, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Rants, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

Obviously, I didn’t get this finished last night. But hey, here it is anyway. It’s all about the world we have to live in and changing it into the world we want to live in.

On Not Being A Greedy Supervillain

I wonder just how far we’ll go,

And how we will get there.

Or if we’ll stagnate where we are,

Will anybody care?

The future is not guaranteed,

There’s nothing carved in stone.

If we’d survive we must change now,

For our sins must atone.

Because we’ve thought, we’re all that counts,

We’ve made a hash of things.

Now mend we must our broken ways,

Before the last bird sings.

Instead of taking all we can,

Perhaps just what we need.

Instead of paving everything,

Perhaps should plant a seed.

We hear of corporate greed so much,

And evil billionaires.

But stock in greed is limitless,

We all deserve some shares.

It’s every time we’ve asked for more,

When we have all we need.

We’re all about that new TV,

Not hungry mouths to feed.

We gripe and grouse ’bout produce price,

Sell farms to subdivide.

Can’t stand the cities that we built,

So in our suburbs hide.

So now the question where and when,

And just how far we’ll go.

Is answered by our actions which,

Shape where all this will go.

So take the time to think it through,

The bigger picture see.

And make the choice to make the world,

The place that it could be.

Go take some coins and drop them in,

That homeless person’s hat.

If you could spare a little time,

Perhaps could stop and chat.

It’s little acts of kindness which,

Will add up over time.

It’s taking less and giving more

To live a life sublime.

So change yourself and change the world,

And maybe it will spread.

Perhaps someone will see and they,

Won’t take but give instead.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 20

On By WinstonIn Embrace the Wild, Environment, Fairy Poem, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Poetry, The Old WaysLeave a comment

I love being in the woods. The sights, sounds and just the feeling I get there. For me, there are few things more relaxing. This poem is also about that.

Come Home To The Wild

A dappled light falls gently here,

Amid the forest green.

And there is peace here ‘neath the boughs,

Such as you’ve rarely seen.

A doe and fawn graze near a pool,

Where rushes gently sway.

The chirps and songs of unseen birds,

The music that we play.

A squirrel dashes up a tree,

Then out upon a limb.

From there leaps to another tree,

That’s how it keeps so slim.

There’s flowers there in jewel shades,

Within a clearing small,

And water splashes nearby from,

A little waterfall.

Now look and listen carefully,

My best beloved child.

Come to the wood and sit with me,

Connect back to the wild.

For you can’t love what you don’t know,

And nature needs you now.

To undo all the harm they’ve done,

It falls to you somehow.

Come sit beneath the shady tree,

And hear the raven’s cry.

Feel now the earth within your bones,

Hear summer breezes sigh.

There’s all of this and so much more,

Within my leafy glade.

It’s here for you to love and learn,

No need to be afraid.

Accept this peace down deep within,

Allow your mind to clear.

I am the spirit of the wood,

And you are welcome here.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 15

On By WinstonIn Environment, Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, Poetry, spring, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I was supposed to post this yesterday, but sometimes life happens. Another one will magically appear in due course. Hopefully before the end of the day 🙂

On Missing Nature

A long and winding country road,

A field of high, sweet hay.

Ten billion stars above my head,

To gaze at where I lay.

 

A lazy stream meanders through,

A wild wood nearby.

It flows down from the ancient hills,

Bare shouldered ‘gainst the sky.

 

I wander through the woods and hills,

Sip from a hidden spring.

With every step, much closer now,

To nature do I seem.

 

I pause to rest and start to doze,

Beneath a willow tree.

With gods of hills and woods and streams,

All watching over me.

 

This is a dream I often dream,

While urban life I live.

To capture just a part of this,

Who knows what I would give.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 9

On By WinstonIn Environment, Humor, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, spring, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The fabled “April Showers” are here. My job takes me outside frequently. They could have held off a couple of days.

On The Capriciousness of Spring

It’s April now, the rains come down,

To soak me to the bone.

The rains so constant, they could wear,

A hole into a stone.

 

The snows are done for now at least,

With rains to take their place.

The wind blows rain into my eyes,

Then whips it from my face.

 

It’s not so bad I tell myself,

And hunch before the blow.

I’m drenched and cold and miserable,

Cheer up, it could be snow.

 

The Sun will shine again I’m sure,

Just not quite certain when.

All I can do is drip and curse,

And slog on until then.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

p.s.

Look the rain has fin’lly stopped.

As the mercury has dropped.

Quickly my despair is growing.

As I write it’s started snowing.

W.

 

NaPoWriMo Day 4

On By WinstonIn Education, Environment, Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal Responsibility, Science, SocietyLeave a comment

Earlier I was watching TED/Ed as one does when they are at work. And I came across this talk by Xiye Bastida ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBeU6UZyPjY&feature=emb_title ). It inspired today’s offering.

On Xiye Bastida

I just believe she said to me,

as hope shone from her eyes.

I know you don’t, and that’s okay,

my dream fits every size.

 

For each good thing there is in life,

was once just someone’s dream.

Belief is what brings them to life,

hold it in high esteem.

 

Then as I saw the hope in her,

it kindled hope in me.

And as it grew I understood,

You must believe to see.

 

Now as I watch, a million more,

once more start to believe.

They share her dream and dare to hope,

it’s one we can achieve.

 

Every good thing that we have,

and every bad as well,

was once a dream in someone’s heart.

You never can quite tell.

 

Before you mock or just dismiss,

the dream she has to share.

Please understand, it’s not a plan,

Just asking you to care.

 

Now I believe. It’s not that hard.

But making dreams come true,

that takes an act of purest will,

and sacrifices too.

 

So I believe, take baby steps,

to build tomorrow’s world.

Inspired by the faith and dream,

Of this young, hopeful girl.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 21

On By WinstonIn Environment, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, Poetry2 Comments

I’m not sure why, but I seem to be on a bit of a nature kick this month. Maybe it’s because every time I turn around another piece of it’s been cut down, dug up or plowed over. Whatever the reason, I hope you enjoy todays poem 🙂

SEE THE BEAUTY

“Good morning!” Says the sun to me,

As I bask in it’s light.

When day is done and time for sleep,

The moon tells me “Goodnight.”

Throughout the day the world speaks,

To those who wish to hear.

“Enjoy the wonders all around,

And hold all nature dear.”

We love majestic views and such,

High peaks or ocean shore.

But nature’s beauty’s all around,

We’re missing so much more.

The light that sparkles from the wings,

Of a small dragon fly.

A swallow’s endless grace as it,

Goes swooping through the sky.

The patterns of the insects on,

The surface of a pond.

These and ten million more are there,

But we just look beyond.

Now take a look and really see,

What’s right in front of you.

ALL nature is quite beautiful,

And now you see it’s true.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 15

On By WinstonIn Environment, Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Poetry, Science, Society, Uncategorized, Values2 Comments

I know not everyone believes in the reality of climate change. I’ve read a lot on both sides of the question and to me it’s obvious that we’re having a huge impact on the planet. Wherever you sit on this debate, I hope you enjoy today’s poem.

OUR CHANGING WORLD

The climate’s changing very fast,

More than we thought it could.

The future’s looking different than,

Most of us thought it would.

 

I know there’s those who claim that all,

The climate data’s fake.

And nothing that is done by us,

Could any difference make.

 

But I have looked at this a lot,

And I just can’t agree.

The climate’s changing and the cause,

Comes down to you and me.

 

We love our cars, we love our trucks,

We love our SUVs,

We love to drive so who cares if,

They cut down all the trees.

 

We love our cities sprawling ‘burbs,

We’ll pave all of the farms.

And as we stand in flooded streets,

Claim we don’t cause these harms.

 

We’ve engineered some crops that can,

Both heat and drought resist.

But GMOs are “evil” so,

That research gets dismissed.

 

As millions starve because their land,

Can them no longer feed.

We let our surplus food just rot,

So much more than we need.

 

As deserts grow and forests shrink,

We multiply so fast.

‘Til all that’s left to eat is us.

Then see how long we last.

 

But disregard this poem ’cause,

It’s not what you would hear,

I’m just another scaremonger,

Who’s spreading pointless fear.

 

When the last lonely tree has died,

On dead and barren Earth.

Look then and see what we’ve done to,

The planet of our birth.

 

Cheers, Winston