The Forest Majesties

 

There is no more regal sight than deciduous trees,

towering and glowering, making sunlight dim;

They seem to scoff at we minute human beings,

underneath their high boughs and massive limbs.

Their distant relatives ruled the forests when ours

crawled on the ground and hid under leaves.

Now they face dwindling numbers and more fires,

since some humans are harvesting them beyond belief.

Regal and majestic, royal descendants of past life,

they could all be toppled at last by us human upstarts.

Yet their doom is not for certain, for them some do fight,

Their numbers may yet rise, after enough people “get smart.”

All life on this Earth is in some way interlinked,

Time to stop doing damage, get our methods in synch.

We can do it if we all try, and nations all work together,

Otherwise we will lose arable land, and our drinking water.

Limericks for Lucille

 

To set up a trade post on the Moon,

a thing not oft thought of in June,

April, May, September or November,

Nor any month that I can remember;

dare suggest it and be considered a loon?

But whomever starts up a thriving spot

On old man Moon’s big ugly snot,

Will corner the market in provisions,

and soothe those national divisions.

The Space Force won’t have to fire a shot!

Being funny when you have a cold

something not easy when feeling old;

One gets owly and cranky,

Not even remotely funny,

Even the cat gets an angry scold.

Sunlit leaves, Mother Nature’s bright colors,

a last sensory banquet presages winter horrors,

yet happy memories and bright hopes will both

carry us forward to next spring’s fresh growth,

just a quick flash-thru until next summer’s flowers.

Evolving Genderality

 (first published in the 2020 edition of Lyrical Iowa)

It used to be a he was just a him,

a she a her, soon wedded to some Jim.

A boy was a boy, a girl was a girl,

no variations were permitted to unfurl.

But that was in a century long past,

the world today has changed, “gasp!”

Now we are inclusive of all kind of variables,

even acknowledge and welcome transsexuals.

The human race evolves over time,

our social landscape crosses new lines.

We learn from our mistakes and take new paths,

welcoming to every variant of person, at last.

This seems good to one who straddles two centuries;

cruelty and exclusion serve no purpose to humanity.

When the Circus Comes to Town

 

    When the circus comes to town, it can be an amazing event. You are dazzled by stunts and tricks, amazed at all of the exotic animals, amused by the juggling clowns. You might eat your fill of sugary snacks for more fast, momentary jolts of pleasure. Perhaps a whole evening, or even weekend, is filled with amazement and delight with the fun show of shows.

    But all the big-top shows must come to an end, sooner or later. One must go back to the real world, and cope with common, everyday problems. Reality is nowhere near as exciting as a big bright circus, but is very important nevertheless. Those wheels of modern civilization do not run themselves, even if it seems like they do.

    So at some point all of the glitz, the subterfuge, the flashy facades have to move on. The litter of lies and failed promises must be swept up and disposed of, the pathways of politics and commerce cleaned off so that regular life can go on.

    Are you tired of the clown show yet? Be sure to vote!

Biosphere, new and improved

 

    It was time to go visit my favorite creek again tonight. The sun was setting, illuminating the multicolored grasses beautifully. The wind had died down, and the air was tranquil. I walked along the sandy area next to burbling water, and enjoyed taking it all in. The water, the sand, the grassy banks and low trees all displayed a certain symmetry – Nature’s order. It made me think of David Attenborough and his nature specials, and that led me to think of his most recent one on Netflix. To have lived a life like his would be wonderful indeed. This made me think of the possibility of repairing ecosystems.

    I recently watched two different documentaries on Netflix, both showing how it is possible to reverse CO2 damage, and to actually take CO2 out of the atmosphere, and “Fix” our climate and clean up the atmosphere, reducing global warming.

    Earlier specials had sounded dire warnings about the state of the global ecosystem. So now, the prevailing viewpoint has shifted to "we can fix things," apparently. Now we just have to get farmers to change how they farm (No-till please), to stop all deforestation around the world (how?), to plant millions of new trees, and re-establish vast grasslands. Simple, right? Simple in theory. Not so much in reality.

    But I can see some changes already being undertaken on the local level. Tree-planting programs. Electrification of mass transit. Wind turbines sprouting up like weeds all over the Iowa countryside. Those in charge are undertaking climate “restoration” whether we want them to or not. It seems like a great idea, a win-win. But there will be some short-term pains.

    Recycling is a pain. Cutting back on energy use is a pain. Giving up plastic bottles and straws is a pain. Change hurts. We just have to hope that, in the long run, it is worth it. A burbling creek and shimmering grasses tell me that, even in the middle of a metro area, miraculous things are possible.

North wind's a-blowing

 

Picture a cloud with face blowing cold air,

repeatedly, just pushing more misery our way.

Some weather-casters use that symbol to show

us what is in store a day or a week ahead.

I visualize a figure on the same map,

an angry man with folded arms and scowl,

or angry person flipping the bird at the blow-cloud.

Then I flip off the TV set and curse winter – again.

Seasons’ change is inevitable,

no amount of griping or cussing stops it.

May as well accept what we cannot change,

but it sure feels good to vent some angst first.

Hang in there, folks, it will warm up again

next week, and hey: Sure beats a forest fire!