Flooding rain

 

It is always pleasure to explore the wild

Under high waterfalls roaring down

Caves and canyons with ancient rock art

Wild rivers overflowing their banks

As winters rains floods fields and forests

Carrying detritus everywhere far away

Whilst giving us essential water for reservoirs

And washing everything to the sea

How thorough is nature in its love

Layering its debris far, far away

Silt packed high as each bend in the river

Water cutting new paths in its journey

Except when granite show her stern face

Denying all entry to her domain

For she is old and wise and bears all

As she has patience and knows what will be

Image found at www.pixabay.com

At home with nature

 

I never felt more at home in nature 

Than I did as an eight year old youngster

My delight was walking around the wild woods

Listening to the birds announcing me there

Telling all the critters I was there again

Squirrels would look down at me from the trees

And snakes now warned would slither away 

So rather than that I wander about

Sat down with my back to an old oak tree

To show that I certainly meant no harm

So that they slowly resumed their duties

The birds swooping around after insectss

The squirrels now leaping from limb to limb

A fox looking at me from far away

Keeping very still the creatures relaxed

Birds chatting away high above me

A hedgehog lumbered past me unafraid

And high in a tree an owl now peered down

Turned his head with one eye looked backwards

Then stayed like that for a few minutes

Now satisfied I was no threat turned away

Years later my wife and I did this too

Settling down in wild places overseas

All creatures are happy if you're no threat

Unless they have their young offspring close by

If only we would treat them with respect

Then they would know we do them no harm

We would then find they would not hide away

Illustration found at www.pixabay.com

That we exist

The strange thing about humankind
Is that we should exist at all
What terrible creature was born
To upset the world forlorn

Deciding to take charge of all
Whose selfish greed appals others
And hates freedom for other kind
Not wishing to share state of mind

The Earth is a beautiful place
Eden for those who really care
That we exist is such a shame
Whatever's wrong, we are to blame

Forests felled, ice caps melt away
Seas polluted with all our waste
New disaster now visits us
Prepare to go and make no fuss

Image found at www.metro.co.uk

A walk in the misty wild

In the bush for a walk, we did watch birds
It's what we did roaming far from home
Through trees, across plains and mountains too
An excellent pastime for just us two

We'd both have a stick for safety's sake
In case we were set on by a snake
We didn't say too much as we walked
As the birds would fly high if we talked

We didn't steal eggs or chop up the plants
Just took photos if we had close glance
Never touch a nest with new eggs there
They were baby birds not meant to share

Took photos of birds we'd not yet seen
Scribbled notes of where we had just been
They were the only tokens of our visit
Why spoil what was qite exquisite?

Oft other walkers would make us cringe
Who may have come to just gawk and whinge
Have no care what harm they might well do
Leave tokens of the visit which accrue

Forewarned, forearmed the best way to go
No to leave ltter which is a big no!
Lest we form ideas in creatures mind
No sign of rubbish if we are kind

No plastic trash or ropes to cause snags
Or smoking there and discarding fags
Not plastic tape or rubbish to harm
And the wild with no cause for alarm

Image found at www.pixabay.com

They're comng of age

The millenials are marching
They're coming of age
The boys are champions
Have looks like a sage
The girls are luscious
They are marching too
Rights are their wishes
Which will come they're hoping

The millenials are singing
(A bit out of tune)
It's no milk sop army
But movement brewing
This bright afternoon
Crowds are thickening
They're playing their cards
And they aim is winning

They've reached the park with bells ringing
Crowd sits down waiting
For first one to speak
Talks of corruption
Nature, climate change
Melting ice, forests
Water theft and more
Then there's over fishing

No subject for them is off the cards
Greed rules the planet
For them truth is clear
Wars are for profit
So millionnaires grin
Meanwhile all the crowd
Want an honest life
And to end the charades

Image found at https://pixabay.com/photos/school-strike-4-climate-4059178/

Walking in the forest

I love walking in the forest
Losing sight of road, rail and town
I want to hug the trees awhile
To dip my hands in bubbling streams
I've done it most of my long life
Such a pleasure with my dear wife

We'd sit us down with backs to trees
As birds appear when we are still
Owls would open one eye to check
"Whoo, whoo?" One whispers to their mate
"The usual two, they do no harm
They come from beyond Arnold's farm"

We sit down now part of the scene
Gum trees wave branches looking down
They seem quite pleased to see us too
As the west wind now makes them bow
A lone roo comes to check us out
Joined by mate and joey close by

Satisfied, forest comes alive
Geckos run up and down the limbs
The scent of trees tells us to stay
Every creature knows they're safe
My wife is crying and so am I
We'll remember this 'til we die    


Note: I have mentioned in odd previous posts that my wife was an avid bird watcher and needless to say I got roped in as well and many delightful moments were spent getting lost in forests or deserts hoping we could find our way back to the car. Occasionally we'd come across a bird or furry animal trapped in branches miles from anywhere and needing help to get away. There is nothing quite like seeing the surprise on a bird's face that we were not going to eat them but they were free to fly back home afterwards. 
     
Image found at https://pixabay.com/photos/forest-dark-woods-trail-path-1031022/

Talking to some friends

Talking to some friends of mine
The birds, the beasts and a fish or two
Wondering what we should do

Clearly climate was in strife
Surely the creatures who were to blame
Would forfeit their lives in shame

They looked down as they discussed
And avoided glancing in my eyes
Who was at fault? No surprise!

Clearly the Earth would not survive
If the most destructive creature stayed
"Sorry sir, it's you I'm afraid"

Trying to soften the blow
They said "It's not you but all your mates"
"For you it's the pearly gates"

I tried to plead for a stay
They said "Use your brains, rocket away"
"Bio-diversity is the only way"

Then I awoke from that wild dream
For they were right and we were so wrong
We must change before that gong


Image found at https://photos.com/art/tranquility

I watch the wedge tail eagle fly

I watch the wedge tail eagle fly
Soaring around high in the sky
Morning sun shines he sees for miles
He's king up there and so he smiles

And so do I so near the sea
I'm glad the shore is close to me
The beach is calm for its mid week
So sit me down to have a peek

I do not have to wait too long
Before some dolphins come along
Elated with this gorgeous day
I'm glad my walk took me this way

Once before I had walked this path
When oceans fury was in such wrath
All birds and critters had long fled
As sailors benediction said

Certainly it's great in the wild
I have gone there since a small child
There's a prophecy that does say
"Let nature nurse you every day"

If we could nurture nature too
Not see forests embers burnt through
Humans should take a gentler line
Then everything would turn out fine

Image 1 found at https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/
Image 2 found at https://pixabay.com/en/wave-atlantic-pacific-ocean-huge-1913559/

Sun's shining face

Oh Spring come along
Where are your blue skies aglow?
And Sun's shining face

We need rainfall too
So that our seeds can all thrive
Then farmers can smile

Busy bees please come
There's much work for you to do
Fertilize this plants

Much thanks go to you
For the work all you have done
Fine harvest we'll reap

Image found at:https://pixabay.com/en/agriculture-field-food-farm-bauer-1646560/

Love walking at night

I love walking at night
When a whole new world comes alive
Bats chasing moths and flies
Quickly, quietly flutter and dive

Owl watches, turns his head
A stranger in his world tonight
Head rotating, body still
This man is not good in his sight

So venture far from town
I walk on past the last streetlight
Horse whinnies in paddock
Young foxes yelp in friendly fight

Town's streetlights now far off
As streams rippling water I hear
A splash in pond is heard
I'll observe but not interfere

Creatures oft sing their songs
Invisible lullabies to send
Warnings and claims to land
Or sending love to a girl friend

I love walking in the night
When a whole new world comes alive
Cats chasing who they like
Slyly, quietly, pounce and dive

Image found at https://pixabay.com/en/man-the-hood-in-the-evening-brother-1688358/

The look on their faces

I've seen the look on their faces
I have seen it in many places
The sea birds shake their heads at me
When I take a walk down by the sea
Recently there's been strange looks too
Then my cat Bess whispered a clue
Stop being so foolish human
or you'll sit with the ferryman

You are causing the Earth's demise
Most of what you do is unwise
You trash the oceans and the fish
Burn the forests and demolish
Vast swathes of land that give you life
Dear animals fear gun and knife
Just so some mad millionaire
Can show stuffed animals with flair

Soon the Earth will be a desert
Is what you want just barren dirt?
With children crying without food
And only you in a joyful mood
For the best way to tend this Earth
Is love and care for all we're worth
I want to hear the lions roar
And birds in trees; nest, sing and soar

Image found at https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1970.283.1/

Note: The ferryman rowed the dead to Hades in Greek mythology

It's time to stop

Fish are dying on the sandy shore
Native species soon will be no more
As habitat drives them far away
Foreign predators will have their say

Dolphins injured at port's river mouth
Speedboats and skiers are so uncouth
Seals are gashed boats propeller blades
What one was Heaven is now Hades

Mankind is such an ugly creature
Thinks nothing of each precious feature
Struts his way around our precious world
Thinks he owns it all when flags unfurled

Forests whisper of mans many wrongs
While all wolves and whales sing their sad songs
As pollution spreads like a disease
As man sits back with arrogant ease

Everybody, please save our precious world
And let all creatures sleep safely curled
Forests breathe out so we all may live
Man! It's time to stop the take... and give!

Image 1 found at https://pixabay.com/en/wolf-howling-animal-wild-nature-1992716/
Image 2 found at https://pixabay.com/en/humpback-whale-jumping-breaching-1984341/

The owl and me

The owl opened one eye and looked at me
As I stared at him in the old oak tree
I was standing on a small grassy mound
And quite unaware of the stir of life
At my feet some ants were now causing strife

I felt their first bites on my legs and feet
So ran off to get a far better seat
Fallen log seemed to be the best idea
I looked up to see the owl leave his seat
Flew up and snatched a brown snake at my feet

So this set me wondering about our Earth
With humans thinking we got the top berth
Okay he merely saw a potential meal
Same time he saw that I'd do him no ill
Did two jobs, saved me with food in his bill

Image found at http://getyourimage.club/new-club.html

The forest loves us

When were you the happiest? I asked, She smiled and said "When we were lost in the forest". I remembered those times too. We would take our lunch and binoculars. We did not have to walk far into the trees before we found a magic land. As we ventured further in the silence surrounded us. Occasional shafts of light ventured through the treetops and the tweets and coos were heard but unseen. As we slowed our pace we could hear the tinkle of a stream and tentatively made our way to obey its beckoning. A small area lit by an opening provided by a fallen tree was where we rested. The wild ones silence was broken by our stillness. It was as though in approval the birds got back to work and flew over the water to catch insects or have a bath. Some chortled with laughter others cooed lazily as we moved not a limb. Suddenly there was a shuffle as an animal ambled through the undergrowth and started digging with its snout close to us to find food. It was an Echidna that looked up at us with his beady eyes, nodded his head and continued his quest for ants. You then said to me "It is so beautiful I feel like singing"

                                                Singing with the stream
                                                 Rippling happily along
                                                   The forest loves us

I thought that this piece from 2015 deserved another outing

Image found at www.keys.lucidcentral.org

In the garden

I lay in the garden
Then looked across at the sky
Clouds scudding above

The busy bees hummed
All the flowers looked pleased
Clearly they're in love

Wife called out to me
How I adore this sweet lass
We're like hand in glove

Married bliss that's us
On this so beautiful Earth
Playing push and shove

Her eyes are so green
She belongs in the garden
See how she does bloom

She'll have baby soon
How the sweet birds will sing then
Love will fill each room

When you are in love
What mountains you both can climb
To banish ones gloom

For all our lives long
Should ever be that garden
Of such sweet perfume

Image found at https://pixabay.com/en/photos/ 

The allegory here is that we must love the world to ensure its survival

Great Knot

We drove down the gravel road
Parked in a shaded spot close
To the path over the dunes
Binoculars and notepads
In our eager hands

Wooden slats wired together
To climb up over the dunes
Julie held tight to my hand
As the sea breeze blew head on
The low shining sands

Carefully we clambered down
To the beach spread out all round
Waves washed in with furious might
Shorebirds scampering with glee
Across wide wetlands

We walked down to the surfs edge
Hoping to spy a Great Knot
To tick off our life's list
As birdwatching was our game
We were holding hands

A place to sit we did find
To get the birds used to us
Eyes searching every group
As birds got back to work
We checked whole wide strand

Birds patterning sky above
Others feeding at shores edge
One jumped to avoid the spray
"That's it" Julie simply said
Voice almost offhand

I checked, she was right of course
As the seas spray pushed them back
Several Knots were down there
Julie simply took some shots
Camera in hand

Image found at http://www.arthurgrosset.com/ozbirds/greatknot.html

Days numbered

The tall trees whisper a welcome as I enter the forest. They know me well as I talk to them and listen to me as I carefully place my feet and watch her furry and feathered friends climb and fly around and make their homes in her arms. There are sighs of contentment that all is well there and the clear streams below run tinkling with laughter. 
Lately however the trees have sighed with pain as sad tidings are brought from afar on the wind. They tell of soot and chemicals on their leaves and of visitors that leave poison in the water. The trees shake with fear when the wind blows and know that man is a monster hell bent on destruction with chainsaws in their hands.

                                                   Will the Earth survive
                                             Now with the monster let loose
                                                 And our days numbered?





Image found at https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/16536723615852842/?lp=true

We need your help

"We need your help" the small voice said
"Please human we know that you are kind"
I looked around and what did I find?

In front of me and everywhere
Were mice, moths, spiders and yet more
These critters who clearly lived with me

"We need your help" they said again
Then I saw birds and butterflies
There at the window pane looking in

Clearly there was a problem true
As at the door there was a bee
That sat right down on my hand and said

"I'm the spokesman for all the rest
And I am here at their behest
The world is dying don't you know?

"Humans have hurt the Earth, it is bad
Seas filthy with you dumping trash
Forests felled, wildlife killed, end is near"

"Oh man, can't you see? Pity me
Chemicals have killed bees galore
Plants only seed if we fertilize"

"What can I do, I'm a writer?"
It was just then he looked brighter
"Good then you can tell the whole wide world"

So it was, we then worked and planned
For mountains, forests, seas and sand
Room for one and all...except for man! 

Image found at https://jacqueandpaultravels.com/

Our last chance

                                       Temperature change 1951-2015

Mother Earth listens to us
But we don't hear her at all
I've seen changes over years
For she has shed many tears

Mankind has prospered that's true
Nothing's sacred any more
We've felled the trees, trashed the seas
Brought the planet to its knees

Human acts are waste of time
Rivers dry, climates change
Drill for oil or dig for that
So we trash the habitat

Money dulls the brain of man
Doesn't matter we can't breathe
Bank balance he wants to hear
Who cares for whale or bear

Spirit of the world please come
Save this place we call home
I'm writing now, please help us
We're not all contemptuous

Image found at https://www.businessinsider.com.au/charts-and-statistics-on-global-warming-climate-change-2015-12?r=UK&IR=T

On the bank of the lake

Laying on the bank of the lake
Your head on my tummy
Fast asleep, unaware
Of the splash of the otter
Or the sigh of fir trees
Our limbs were intertwined
As I kissed your slim wrist
I now felt your pulse beat
And the warmth of togetherness

On the other side of the lake
Wolf emerged from its den 
Now carrying a cub
Staring at us in doubt 
Wishing we were not there
Putting us all at risk
A cool wind now sprang up
You shivered now smiling
At me and evening's fading light

"It's time to go" I said scanning
The dark lake's other side
The wolf was not in sight
"Let's hope the woodstove's lit"
As we got up to leave
Nature's portal again
Return to traffic noise
TV and foolish talk
Hearty meal and steaming coffee

Image found at https://www.vix.com/es/btg/curiosidades/8874/los-5-mejores-padres-del-reino-animal