I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

4 June 2015

This Poem is Forest, Ocean, Air

This poem is a forest of green leaves.
This poem is an ocean without plastic.
This poem is air with no chemical vapours.

This poem wants to let you know
that the shade of green of the leaves tells you 
the state of the tree: old or young, ill or well,
and how close to dying. Then you can see
the condition of the whole forest.
This poem is a thick forest of bright green leaves.

This poem wants to make you remember
a time when the oceans were sparkling clean,
home only to fish and coral, rock and reed
and the great sea mammals that roam the earth —
a time when rubbish would sink and disintegrate.
This poem is a clean ocean without any plastic.

This poem means to show you
a sky without a chemtrail, air with no smog.
This poem indicates, with a vast gesture,
air of a clarity you never saw in your whole lifetime.
This is what air was created to be.
This poem is clear air with no trace of chemical vapours.

This poem is a thick, impossible forest no-one chops or burns.
This poem is a clean, impossible ocean free of any floating islands of plastic.
This poem is clear, impossible air from which we have eradicated
all traces of chemical vapours. ... This poem is impossible.

Written for Poets United's Midweek Motif, Sustainability. The form is Boomerang Metaphors, invented by Hannah Gosselin — with my own extra twist at the end.

17 comments:

  1. This poem maybe impossible literally but is astounding in all other ways...if only..if only..we could undo all those things..

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  2. Oh! The cadence and content/images here sets up a momentum that is so seductive that I want it to keep going. The period at the end is heartbreaking!

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  3. Rosemary,
    I wish that the world would take note of the impossible task it has set itself, with the damage already done..Your poem holds the evidence within each line..
    Eileen

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  4. This poem is amazing. I love all the beauty and simplicity you evoke here. The ending is impssibly sad.

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  5. this poem is a beautiful dream if only we could make it possible...the final note is so poignant...i also used Hannah's boomerang metaphors for today's prompt...

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  6. The last line...this poem is impossible...actually made me wince thinking if only...if only...this could be a reality. A beautiful and heart touching poem. Touched me to the core :)

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  7. Have we come to a point of no return? I feel helpless reading this poem. Great read.

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  8. Yes, it was, and what a contrast to what is today. It's good to have the picture to work toward it, if only we ALL make this effort! :)x

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  9. Reflection is a great thing, and it can be visualized from this piece. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. I loved the boomerang metaphors form in which you have presented this wonderful poem :D

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  11. 'This poem is a thick forest of bright green leaves.' - I think I would wish all my poems to be this!
    Oh - and what a sobering ending. Really socks it home...

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  12. Perhaps the disaster is just a little too far off to worry people. When it becomes critical it will be too late as most of us will sleeping under the earth and those survivors will curse us for not foreseeing the impending disaster. Politicians, developers, industrialists and financiers will claim ignorance and denial as they are doing now.

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    Replies
    1. Some of us have been screaming about it for decades!

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  13. This poem is a clear, impassioned voice of reason trying to make itself heard above the cacophonous din of industry chugging out poisons...

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  14. luv your projections for the future

    "This poem is a forest of green leaves.
    This poem is an ocean without plastic.
    This poem is air with no chemical vapours."

    much love...

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  15. That 2015 prediction pretty much came to pass... this poem is impossible... still is 8 years on with no real action... scary.

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