Flora Shrapnel, the splinters of forests,
nymphs, haunted by the knots that had once clenched their wrist,
the pulse still coming down the grapevine, threaded into humanity,
wishing to share their heavy heart in the hopes
that you don’t mind mending them for a moment.
*
Untitled by Caitlyn Adams (IG: @catscratch345)
Sweet sweet song of birds, Twitle and sing.
My morning wake up call to start the day.
How lovely they sound,
So free and able to fly away.
How I wish I could sing and then fly away.
The spring brings new beginnings, new opportunities, and blessings.
The birds sound off these tidings, as they twitle and then fly away.
*
Flora and Fauna by Beth Sine (my mama!)
“Hush, hush,” said the Earth,
“You need to calm down.
Your loudness and hot ways
could cause me to drown.
My ice is melting,
my oceans are warm.
My flora can’t grow
and my fauna can’t swarm.
Hush, hush, my dears,
and please change your ways,
one small effort from each
keeps the damage at bay.”
*
A paean to Mother Earth by Oswald Perez (IG: @oswaldperez85)
Seven continents
four oceans
eight billion people.
So many different lives being lived
in all the corners of the globe
most of which go about their days
their stories longing to be told.
Yet we share mother’s blessings
the rising and falling of the sun
changeable skies
leaves on the trees, grass on the ground,
air that all of us breathe deeply.
We owe Mother Earth so much for our continued existence
as she spins day by day on each axis.
This is a small measure of gratitude.
In Maryland’s embrace by Myles Hungerford (IG: @myleshungerford)
where rivers flow,
and Chesapeake’s bounty, a natural show.
Clean waters dance in the sun’s warm glow,
life’s rhythm pulsing, in ebb and flow.
From mountain streams to marshes wide,
Nature’s symphony, a joyful tide.
In every drop, a world resides,
a precious gift, where harmony abides.
Let’s pledge our care, with hearts aligned,
to keep these waters pure in kind.
For in their depths, our spirits find,
a legacy of love for all mankind.
*
Forest by Donald Fuston (IG: @donaldfuston)
The forest invites me in
holds me with green arms
whispers secrets I must know
the forest calms me
excites me
shows me creatures who thrive
the forest sends me back out
renewed recharged
ready to make a difference
I am a child of the forest.
*
Changing of the guards by Kate M. Sine (IG: @enis.st.sparrow)
Mother Earth is threatening to take the world away from men,
and I don’t think I mind if it does,
too long we have lived drunk off of her body,
bees blinded by the bounty
wanting and wanting
raking
weeding
gnawing
cutting
to satisfy the pit that keeps tearing matter.
Mother Nature is patient,
mending our ruins,
taking in dilapidated houses with ivy,
crevices with weeds
cools our flames with tempest
quiet in our crowds,
she’s weaker but she is just as wise,
watching us,
she knows we are tired of trying to navigate the Garden
with our torch,
burning everything we touch,
weighed down by our chaos,
we fall into doubt if we can ever change,
we are like thorns, born to be pain.
Mother Nature is threatening to take away the world from men -
she coils around our arms,
rooting us to listen to her
words,
“you are not a monster.”
*
Thank you to the featured writers for their submissions, it is so beautiful to teach the importance of Earth’s health one poem at a time.
Happy Earth Day everyone!